Nanoha Chronicles: Stars
by Phoenix-Darkstar
Summary: As crisis strikes Mid-Childa, Nanoha Takamachi and her allies must face their strongest foe yet... With the fate of two worlds at stake. Is their strength enough, or will it take a different sort of power to win the day? Edited: Version 2.1
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: First off, this story takes place about the same time as Vivid. Not that those events aren't taking place in this chronology, they're just getting displaced a tad. One other thing. The crux of this story is that Nanoha and her friends are being faced with an overwhelmingly strong opponent, and they have to find some way to defeat him. That means that many people will see the new character introduced here as being overpowered and broken. In the interests of full disclosure and honesty, I will tell you, yes he has several elements which could construe him as a Mary Sue. He's exceptionally powerful, pulls off some crazy plans, and generally comes off looking pretty good. Also, since we're being completely honest, his last name is the saem screenname I used a very long time ago (about 5 years now, I guess), but which I no longer personnally identify with... At this point, it's just a name I use for this character, and maybe sometimes in RPGs. These days, when I think of the name Darkstar, I think of this character. I'm sure some of you are now thinking the author doth protest too strongly, and as readers, you are free to believe that. However, what I believe has to be considered is that, even if a character has traits which make him super-powerful, does that present him from being compelling, and being in a compelling story? I don't believe so, but again, that's for you to judge. And so, aside from my own admittedly silly my blunders regarding which I've gone over, if nothing else, I hope the story is interesting, which is all any author can ask for and that's why I decided to put this up, which, honestly, was not my intention at first; I wrote it because I wanted to write it. In any case, thanks for reading!_

_ETA 5/8/10: I should have mentioned this before, and do so in the newly uploaded Chapter 4, but there's a lot of background information that's only tangentially relevant to the story that doesn't make it into the main text. I mention some of this in notes at the end of relevant chapters, in case people are curious._

_ETA 5/11/10: Upon severstal's and Phillip's input, I've been reworking things a bit, adding more to the backstory, and adding in further exposition--they were correct in pointing out the details weren't fleshed out enough, so I'm trying to correct that, and there may be several edits along the line. One thing to please try and keep in mind is that a lot of details come out slowly over the course of the story, and some things which seem strange may be explained later, so please try and bear with me if you can. Thanks!_

**Year 0079 New Mid-Childa Calendar…**

It was a clear bright day on the world which was the center of the Time/Space Administration. On that beautiful morning, a mother was seeing her daughter off to school, like any ordinary mother might. She bore a cheerful smile, still giving off traces of the innocence which she had long since abandoned, something borne of the realities of her work. She was kind and beautiful. She was also the famed and feared 'Ace of Aces,' the legendary White Devil, Nanoha Takamachi.

"Alright, Vivio. Nanoha-mama will see you when you get home, alright? Have a good day," she told her adopted daughter pleasantly, blue eyes shining with warmth.

Vivio nodded. "OK, Nanoha-mama. Bye-bye!" With a wave, the 9 year old Vivio, a recreation of a powerful ancient Belkan Saint King, was off. Seeing her like this, she would seem to any observer to be simply an ordinary girl.

As Nanoha watched Vivio trot away, she couldn't help but think back to the day when she almost lost Vivio, the day of that horrific battle aboard the Saint Cradle. Gripping her stomach silently, she told herself again firmly that it had all indeed been worth it. While her body might not feel the effects of overusing her Blaster System that day, she still carried those scars. Just as she carried the scars of the pain when she thought she had lost the girl who had inexplicably begun to bring her happiness, and filled a void in her life she hadn't been quite aware existed.

It was a curious thing. While she had many close friends, and enjoyed the people she worked with, she had still never felt entirely whole here in Mid-Childa. Her family hailed from Earth, otherwise known as Un-Administrated Planet 97 to the TSA. As such, she was something of an outsider to the Mid-Childa culture, despite her celebrity and fame for her heroics as a mage in the Aerial Forces. To make matters worse, she had felt like an outsider in her own family before she left, and while she still visited the people she knew on Earth often, she hadn't completely felt like she belonged in either world.

When Vivio entered her life, however, things had begun to change. She finally had someone who truly needed her and her alone, someone to truly call her family. Despite the missteps along the way, mostly due to her own inexperience at raising children, things had gone better than Nanoha could have predicted. Vivio was really her daughter, and she was really Vivio's mother, no matter what their origins. What was in their hearts was what mattered the most to both of them.

Smiling up into the clear azure sky, Nanoha wiped away all thoughts of the past. _I won't have any regrets_, she thought. Despite the damage that had been done to her body, permanently reducing her magical proficiency, she knew she'd do it again for Vivio's sake. Vivio was her daughter, her family. This was her home now, and she'd fight to defend it, with everything she had.

**Planet Arcadia, TSAB Sector 31…**

General Goren looked out over the assembled multitude here within the primary hangar of Arcadian Central Defense, the home base of the Arcadian Combined Forces. It had taken painstaking work to construct these facilities across Arcadia under the prying eyes of the TSAB watchdogs. Despite their industrial might and powerful economy, Arcadia was under the direct control of the TSAB. It had been nearly 100 years since the TSAB attacked this world as part of their efforts to bring Dimensional Space under control. Arcadia had been one of the few worlds with the courage to fight the massive navy of the TSAB, and for that, they had paid the price.

Over the past decades, nearly 40 years of effort, they had slowly been working for this day, planning meticulously and patiently, training troops, constructing defenses, even building a handful of ships. The ground and air forces they had envisioned were complete, hidden away from the small TSAB garrison currently occupying their world. All that remained now was to deploy.

As Goren observed the thousands of soldiers awaiting the command, one man approached him. This was the man who would lead the Arcadian forces in the offensive against the TSAB and their headquarters on Mid-Childa. The last man of that once proud line, Commander Andrew Darkstar, Combined Forces Field Commander, the man they were counting on to bring them victory.

There was absolutely no doubt within the minds of any of them that Andrew Darkstar would be their ultimate trump card, their answer to the massive forces and famed aces of the TSAB, a man whom Goren had trained himself from boyhood with only one goal in mind: to defeat any enemy he might engage, to be their ace among aces. He was the single most powerful weapon in their arsenal, and they were going to unleash him, here and now.

Andrew approached General Goren with his typical quiet fashion. He was a tall, athletic man, who, despite his clear strength and charisma, seemed to have a sense of modesty—or was it only self-deprecation?—about him—until he engaged the enemy. At that point, there was nothing but a deadly air of competence surrounding him, the cold and calculating killer his own men feared as the Black Reaper.

"General, are the preparations complete?" he asked in a low voice, glancing out at the soldiers who waited with bated breath.

The older man looked over at the all too young officer who was their only hope. The man he had gruelingly trained from youth to be the brightest star in their constellation. "Yes, Commander, preparations are complete. Your forces will be the tip of the spear. Once you neutralize the perimeter and establish a landing zone, General Lagan's forces will follow you in," answered Goren.

Andrew nodded slowly and looked again at the soldiers he would be commanding. He had personally devised much of their training program, and had worked directly with many of the top squadrons. Now was the time to see if it had all gone according to their plan. "You all know what is expected of you," he told them over the loudspeaker, favoring a more direct approach. "I don't need to remind any of you of your duties. Fight with courage, remember your training, remember why we're fighting." He paused, face falling into a more stern expression, readying himself for the battle. "Prepare for launch!"

Within moments, the hangar doors began to open, shining bright daylight into the interior. Andrew gave General Goren one last look and a curt nod before taking off like a bolt into the sky. Behind him, the aerial squadrons formed up and did the same, swarming into the sky towards their objective.

General Goren watched the procession silently for a long moment before speaking. "Good luck, Commander. Come home alive."

**TSAB Garrison, Arcadia…**

Sergeant Kellin settled himself in, glancing at the monitors. It seemed a little silly to him, to be keeping constant satellite surveillance of this planet for all this time. It was true, the Arcadians had been somewhat troublesome in the past, and there was still a separatist sentiment on the planet. However, violent confrontations between the TSAB and pro-Arcadian independence forces hadn't occurred in over a decade. It seemed a pretty clear waste of money and personnel to be watching over a planet that wasn't about to cause any real trouble.

Next to him, Private Birg frowned. "Uh, Sergeant? I have some movement on monitor 23-5."

Now it was Kellin's turn to frown as he tuned his own monitors to that image. "I don't see anything, Private. Are you certain?"

Birg nodded. "Positive, sir. I know I saw something right…" As he extended a hand to point out the offending sector to Kellin, the monitor suddenly went offline, displaying the message "Signal Interruption."

Kellin's frown turned to shock. "What the? What happened? Run a diagnostic, fast."

As Birg bent over to perform the procedure, another private turned away from his station. "Sergeant, we have other satellites dropping offline, fast! We've lost coverage over 80% of the southern continent!"

Kellin looked about frantically as monitors cut out all around him. This couldn't possibly be happening, could it? He turned to Birg. "Get me a replay of 23-5 right before it cut out," he ordered.

Birg nodded and brought the signal up. Kellin's eyes widened in horror. On the far edge of the screen, hundreds of aerial mages were in flight, advancing west. And on the bottom of the screen, a craft of unknown configuration was approaching the camera, a deadly flash emanating from it.

Kellin sank back in his chair. "Don't bother with the diagnostic. The satellites have been destroyed. We're under attack." Taking a deep breath, he told Birg, "Signal battle alert. The Arcadians are moving."

An hour later, Andrew stood atop the rubble of the TSAB Garrison base. The mages there had put up a fight, but had been hopelessly outclassed and outnumbered. The battle had been over in minutes. He turned to one of his officers. "The entire satellite system was destroyed, along with the orbiting patrol?"

The officer nodded. "Yes sir. We don't think they got a transmission off to Mid-Childa, however."

Andrew shook his head. "It doesn't really matter. Whether they did or not, our best move is to launch the assault immediately. Tell General Lagan to prepare his forces for departure. I want the aerial strike force moving out in less than an hour. We can let the home forces deal with cleaning up here."

Without a further word, Andrew launched into the sky to meet up with the awaiting transport fleet and assault craft that would make up the vanguard of the Mid-Childa attack force. Victory was all that was important, and that required them to move quickly. Andrew gritted his teeth. The hard part hadn't even begun.

**Mid-Childa, TSAB Ground HQ…**

Inspector Verossa Acous, TSAB Special Investigations, strode quietly down a white corridor, heading towards a conference room to meet with Admiral Chrono Harlaown of the Dimensional Navigational Forces and Colonel Hayate Yagami, also of Special Investigations. However, his thoughts were far from the meeting at hand, which concerned Lost Logia reports. His mind was currently consumed by disturbing reports out of Sector 31 were had only just reached him.

Stepping into the room, he nodded at the two others waiting for him. "Chrono, Hayate, good to see you," he greeted briefly.

The meeting progressed smoothly as the three traded reports and information. After several minutes however, Acous was startled out of his thoughts when Hayate asked him, "Verossa, you've been distracted the entire time. Is something bothering you?"

Verossa blinked, not realizing just how badly he had been flaking out. "Sorry, you two. I just had a report come in before I came here, and it's worrying me."

Chrono frowned. "What kind of report? Is it related to a Lost Logia case?"

Verossa shook his head. "No, it's not that. Apparently, we've lost contact with the monitoring forces in Sector 31. A patrol was sent to investigate, but they haven't arrived yet. It's probably nothing, but…"

Chrono nodded, understanding immediately. "But Arcadia is located in Sector 31 isn't it. That could be a problem."

"It's true," agreed Verossa, "though there hasn't been any activity on that front for quite some time now. Still, I can't help but wonder whether they're up to something."

Hayate looked between the two of them. "What's Arcadia? I've been trying to study up on TSA history, but I don't think I've heard of a place named that before."

Chrono sighed heavily to himself. "I'm not surprised. People don't like to talk about it. It's not something a lot of people in the TSAB are proud of... It might have been necessary then, but… I don't know. What they ended up doing was terrible, no matter the justificatons."

Verossa nodded. "It was certainly not one of our finest moments, that's for certain. The only reason it isn't a major point of contention in society today is that nobody talks about it."

Hayate frowned. "That doesn't sound pleasant. I know even the TSAB has things in its past people aren't proud of, but… I don't think I've heard either of you talk like this. Could you tell me about it?"

Chrono glanced at Verossa, then nodded. "Alright. I'll tell you what I can…"

**Two days later…**

Captain Nanoha Takamachi was alone in her large home, putting herself through the chores which she was only now getting used to. It had been much easier when she lived in the dorms on base, where housekeeping was done by staff. It had been something of a challenge when she took her leave of absence to raise Vivio, getting used to doing all the cooking and cleaning herself. Truth be told, Nanoha didn't see herself as much of a homemaker, despite the family she had created with Vivio. She had spent so much of her life fighting and protecting people that it had left little time for other pursuits. She was even more envious of her mother nowadays than she had been when she was young, now that she understood just what entailed raising a child.

As she packed away and folded the last of the laundry, the communications screen in the main den chimed, indicating a call. As she stood to answer it, she saw the seal of the TSAB emblazoned. That sight elicited a frown from the auburn haired woman, as it could only mean official business. Even a call from one of her friends in the service wouldn't have an official TSAB emblem.

Pressing the receive button, she answered, "Yes?"

A man she didn't recognize appeared on the screen, but he wore the uniform of a Major in the Aerial Forces. "Captain Takamachi? This is Major Larim, Aerial Forces Personnel Department. I'm calling to inform you that you're being recalled to active duty, effective immediately. You're to report to 12th Aerial Squadron HQ for orders."

Nanoha blinked in surprise. Whatever she might have expected the call to concern, this was certainly not it. "Um, pardon me, sir, but could you tell me what this is about?"

The major paused for a moment before sighing heavily and nodding. "I suppose I can tell you that much. There's been a crisis. Enemy forces have landed on Mid-Childa, and we're mobilizing all Aerial Forces. That's all I know, Captain."

Despite all her years of experience, all the major incidents she had resolved, this proclamation still shocked her. Enemy forces? Landing on Mid? That was unthinkable, impossible. "Th-thank you, major," she managed to reply. The major gave her a last nod and ended the transmission, leaving Nanoha alone with her thoughts in a house that seemed far emptier than it had only a few moments ago.

**Arcadian Combined Forces landing site…**

There were only a few hundred aerial mages present. These were the crack troops of the Arcadian Combined Forces, such as they were. Truth be told, the only real combat any of them had seen was against the TSAB garrison on Arcadia, and a little action against the patrol above their world. They hadn't even engaged any defenses in the skies over Mid-Childa, leaving that to the Naval and Ground forces that would follow them once they had secured the area.

Of course, despite the fact that they were on the ground, securing the area was going to take more than that, Andrew Darkstar knew. He stood with his squadron leaders, outlining the plan for the next few hours.

"The TSAB has to know we're here," he told them, bringing up a digital map of the surrounding terrain. "Their satellite reconnaissance undoubtedly picked up our landing, but we do have the advantage in that it's unlikely they're aware of our total force strength. However, don't rely on that. We need to establish a defensive perimeter and hold out for a period of no less than 18 hours. That's how long it'll be before the cruisers and heavy transports arrive with the main body of our troops." Pointing out the key defensive positions around them, he continued, "Double squadrons at all these locations, progressive deployment. Skirmishers and response groups with the main body in the center, specific deployment at your discretion. Remember, the TSAB fast response aerial units are going to be composed of mostly A and AA ranked mages, so you won't be outmatched as far as actual skill. Keep things tight and don't pick a fight you can't win. We only need maintain a wide enough perimeter for landing; we can give a little ground so plan your fallback points accordingly." He closed down the map, looking over his hand-picked commanders. "I'll be with the center unit initially, setting up a preliminary CP so we can begin operations immediately when General Lagan arrives, but I want to know immediately when TSAB forces are spotted. Anticipate them coming in force in about 10 hours, but keep your eyes open, and don't let your guard down. Any questions?" The men before him shook their heads, grim determination written on all their faces. They knew what was expected, and they knew what to do. Andrew nodded grimly. This was where it would truly begin. "Take your stations. Good luck."

Andrew watched the men and women depart for their stations, each one confident and strong, as they had been trained to, each one believing powerfully in the Arcadian cause, as they had been brought up to. Andrew knew better than to think that their belief would protect them, however. He had only 214 personnel on Mid at the moment, against the thousands of soldiers the TSAB could throw against them. Gripping the steel gray links set with an electric blue crystal around his right wrist that was his intelligent device, he stared with hard hazel eyes into the evening sky above him, the stars beginning to shine against the darkening azure field above him. There would be terrible costs for this war. He could only hope the price they would pay would be worth it in the end.

**12th Aerial Squadron Assembly Area…**

Nanoha reached the 12th Squadron HQ less than an hour after concluding her call with Major Larim, departing after contacting Sister Schach at the school to let her know that the house would be empty when Vivio returned. She desperately hoped that this would be an incident that could be resolved quickly, that she might return to the peace and happiness she had worked so hard to achieve.

Greeting her was a young NCO who led her into the command center, where the squadron leader was looking over a large map with his staff. As Nanoha approached, he looked up and waved her over.

"It's good to have you here, Captain Takamachi. I'm Major Day, commander of 12th Squadron," he told her in an efficient tone. Nanoha could tell immediately that this man was a consummate professional. That would bode well.

"Thank you, sir. I didn't get much from the Personnel officer who summoned me, so I'm a bit short on details," she remarked, glancing at the map, which she could tell was showing a fairly large and coordinated troop deployment.

The Major nodded gesturing to the map. Nanoha trained her attention on the details he went over. "For now, we're on standby. A fast response group of 20 has already departed for the target coordinates to assess the situation. The main force is going to compose of us and five other squadrons that will attack once we have confirmation. The timetable currently calls for the primary force to go in about 10 hours, with about a 4 hour flight time to the target area." He looked back up at the much younger Captain who would undoubtedly vastly outrank him had she accepted any of the myriad promotions that had been offered to her over the past several years. "Captain, you're going to be the leader of the main attack force." He held up a hand to quell any immediate protests. "It's true you won't be the highest ranking officer participating, but your combat experience and magic rating are way above any else we've got on hand to deal with this. While a few Navigational Forces elements have been recalled as a precautionary measure, it's up to us for the time being. Significant Ground Forces units can't be on site for another 20 hours, and this battle will either be won or lost by then."

Nanoha nodded silently. So it really would be her and a handful of other aerial mages. Turning again to look at the tactical map, she could only wonder why fate seemed to keep choosing her for these moments. Turning back to Major Day, she told him, "If you don't mind, sir, I'd like to head to the main assembly point now. I think it'd be bad if I didn't familiarize myself with the troops I'm supposed to be leading at least a little bit."

The Major nodded. "Of course, Captain. Corporal Mann can show you the way," he said, waving over the NCO who had led Nanoha in a moment earlier.

Striding out, Nanoha took one last look at the tactical monitor. The initial reconnaissance force was only an hour or so from contact with the enemy. And then they'd know just who these people were and what was going on.

**Arcadian Landing Zone, 50 minutes later…**

Commander Andrew Darkstar stood like an immovable monolith, watching the now dark sky. If his prediction was correct, the first TSAB forces should be arriving momentarily. Then they'd see just what this battle was going to take. Despite the satellite reconnaissance, which they could easily predict, the key factor for gathering intelligence for the TSAB was still going to be the force they sent in to scout out the enemy forces. Because of that, it would be imperative to destroy that force quickly and completely to make sure as little information as possible made it back to their superiors. If his troop deployments and overall strength remained mostly secret, it would give him at least a small advantage when the main attack force from the TSAB arrived.

He felt a little strange, now that he was standing here, on the surface of Mid-Childa. He had dedicated his life for this moment, before he even understood what it would mean. And now, in the darkness, he couldn't help but feel the worries and doubts beginning to gnaw at him. He had been just a child when he had started training for this, to be the one unbeatable weapon the Arcadians would possess, not even knowing really why they were fighting. All that you're told when you're a 10-year old boy is that your world is in danger, and you're the only one who can save them, that you have to become a hero. But as he grew older, and began to replace dizzying fervor with caution and wariness.

The TSAB had been trying to unite the planets within Dimensional Space, to instill a rule of common law and to contain the dangerous technologies and magic which had previously destroyed Al Hazard and later Belka. It was a goal Andrew could appreciate; the Belkan outpost on Arcadia, a remnant of the ancient empire, certainly attested to the terrible war that had raged amongst those people. It had been abandoned in lieu of the Belkan Unification War, and the settlements that had grown around it became Arcadia. And so the TSAB romped across Dimensional Space, uniting the worlds, most peacefully, others… not so much. There had been some worlds that had fought immediately with no warning, rather than just demanding the TSAB go away and not come back as Arcadia had done. In any event, the Arcadians were left alone… At least for a little while. When they finally returned, it was near the end of the Dimensional War, when their numbers blotted out the sun, with the strength of dozens of worlds behind them. Even so, his people refused to capitulate. It was said that the fiercest battles of the entire Dimensional War were fought there, at the end, over the skies of Arcadia.

Andrew wondered just how it happened that the TSAB fleet, the self-declared keepers of Dimensional peace, had decided to take such a tack against them, how anyone could make such a decision, but however it had happened, faced with horrific casualties amongst their force, they had demanded that Arcadia surrender and turn over any technology the TSAB deemed dangerous, or face destruction. However it had exactly transpired, the results were all too obvious: tens of millions dead, and the TSAB all too eager to sweep the events under the rug, still too afraid and still too prideful of their self-assigned role as universal peacekeepers to do anything more than make Arcadia an Administrated World and keep them under watch. And now the current Council was still too ashamed to correct their past mistakes… An all too common theme in politics. And as the years went by, his people had become only more and more frantic at their plight.

Shaking his head ever so slightly, he tried to shake off those dark thoughts. He didn't serve anyone by drowning in his own fears and conflicts. If he wanted to execute this plan the way he had to, he needed to be strong, to be impersonal. The only way he could win now, and have a chance to free his world, was to be the killer they had trained him to be.

"Commander…"

He turned, finding an aide standing a rather appreciable distance behind him. He resisted the urge to smile in amusement at the aide's rather obvious fear. Apparently this one must never have served directly with him, otherwise they'd know he didn't indiscriminately maul people who snuck up behind him.

"What is it, Sergeant?"

"We've gotten an initial response from the detection field we've set up. TSAB aerial forces are inbounds. We don't have them visually yet, however," reported the NCO.

Andrew nodded. "Alright. I'm on my way."

Without a further word, Andrew quickly made his way to the command area, where a small tactical display had been set up under a canopy, with the terrain and their troop deployments laid out.

"Tell me what we know so far," he ordered the nearest technician.

Pointing towards an area in the northwestern quarter, the tech told him, "We detected movement coming from this area, approaching at high speed."

Studying the map for a moment, Andrew pointed out a few nearby squadrons. "Have these two deploy skirmishers along this line, but don't open fire immediately. We want to draw them in a bit. We need to take down as many as we can in our initial volley. Also, have the neighboring squadrons deploy heavy skirmishers in flanking positions here and here. We don't want to be caught off guard, and they'll be in prime position to cut off any potential escapees if it comes to that."

While his orders were relayed to the proper units, Andrew watched the map, trying to think ahead of his potential opponent. On a scouting mission like this, it was unlikely they'd come in more than one direction, but they could be spread out. They were at least fairly competent, since they were coming in over the lowlands, rather than trying to pop up over the low mountains to the south. While it would technically give the attack force the element of surprise, it also meant that they'd be completely blind to an enemy force in wait at the base of the mountains, and could be cut to ribbons quickly. Well, it wasn't as if they didn't know there were enemy forces in the area. However…

He turned to one of the standby force commanders. "Lieutenant, I want you to take five of your best men, and deploy them out here, on the extreme western flank. The enemy may keep a few support mages in reserve to prevent themselves from being wiped out in an ambush. Use your discretion, but don't engage unless you absolutely have to."

The officer nodded and moved off, gathering personnel at the assembly area before taking off. Andrew returned his attention to the tactical monitor, waiting for the enemy to appear with bated breath. He knew this would be his first real test. He also knew he could not fail, ever. His superiors in the Combined Forces and the politicians in the Senate had built him up to be their living legend, their hero, and if he could not deliver a complete victory every time, morale would be shattered. So he had no choice but to succeed, or watch everything they had worked for all these years collapse in fire.

**12th Squadron Assembly Area…**

Nanoha was chatting with the other squadron leaders, who were as diverse as 1st Lieutenants with their first combat commands to Majors with long service histories behind them, hanging onto their last combat command until being shunted behind a desk for younger officers. Nanoha knew that some soldiers wished for an early death on the battlefield rather than being trapped in an office for the latter part of their lives. She had to admit, even she could understand the attraction of such a fate; despite—or perhaps because of—the difficult and exhausting trials she had faced, she couldn't conceive of herself sitting behind a desk sending others out to fight in her place, their lives being nothing more than lights on a board. With the life she'd led over the past few years, however, she firmly understood that her first responsibility was to come home alive to Vivio. More than that, she had a responsibility to bring those under her command back home alive as well to their families. That was the true reality of what it meant to be a training officer, she now understood—to bring as many people home alive as possible through what she could teach them.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts; it wouldn't do well to dwell on her younger, more reckless days now, only minutes before a battle was about to commence, and only a few hours before she herself would be leading others into combat. Her mind had to be clear, her spirit focused, or she'd find herself shot down alongside many others.

Departing the gathering of the squadron leaders, she could feel many of their eyes still on her. She resisted the urge to sigh to herself. She knew that many mages within the TSAB admired her as the Aerial Forces 'Ace of Aces,' and even more so—despite their efforts to keep it a secret from her—that many more referred to her as 'The White Devil,' but she still couldn't help but feel a little exasperated at the awe or fear some held for her. She had never minded Subaru's admiration, as it hadn't affected her duties, but she had met some who had. Though they were fortunately few and far between, there had been more than one recruit Nanoha had either had to have transferred or dropped from the training entirely for their inability to maintain a professional air at appropriate times. While her fame didn't irritate her—after all, it was her own fault she was famous (or infamous some would say). However, it could be tiresome from time to time.

As she glanced around the assembly area, a few more mages arrives here and there, the last few members of what would be the main attack force dribbling in over the past several hours. Checking her watch, she noted that initial contact with the enemy was expected within minutes. They hadn't heard anything yet from the reconnaissance force, however, which Nanoha found somewhat strange. Even if they weren't in visual range, shouldn't the scanners have detected the presence of unknown troops in the vicinity?

As if answering her mental questions, the large screen on the far wall flickered to life, displaying the predicted engagement zone. A voice Nanoha didn't recognize, whom she presumed must be the strike leader, crackled through the speakers.

"We're closing in on the engagement zone. We still haven't picked up anything. There seems to be some non-localized interference; we can't locate the enemy positions from the sources."

"Lieutenant, we're preparing to fan out and begin the search pattern," another voice reported.

"Very well. Stay alert and don't take any unnecessary risks," ordered the first voice. "We need to report back, so…"

Suddenly, distinct sounds of magical weapons fire burst into a deafening cacophony in the background. Immediately, signals indicating the position of members of the recon screen began winking out, and screams could be heard interlaced on the speakers. Enemy positions began to light up all around the incoming TSAB force as the interference began cutting out, the enemy abandoning their hiding places.

Nanoha's eyes widened as she watched the battle unfold, helpless to do anything to stop it. A squadron lieutenant stepped up next to her, shock written on the young woman's face. "They've walked right into an ambush," she whispered.

Nanoha flicked a glance at the other woman. "Yes. And a very well planned one, too." At the look of uncertainty the lieutenant gave her, she pointed to the map. "See? They positioned flanking lines to cut off axes of escape, and form a closure maneuver. Because we can't get good satellite surveillance at the moment for visuals, the only way for us to gather meaningful intelligence is to send troops out there. However, if they can eliminate our scouting force, the only information we'll get is from these transmissions."

Nanoha tightened her fists silently, not allowing her frustration and dismay to show on her face. It was all too impersonal. People were being shot down, possibly killed, and all she could see was a light winking out on a screen. She could hear Major Day desperately relaying orders now, trying to get the force organized for a retreat. However, the enemy commander seemed to have prepared for such, and had moved a small blocking force to cut off a direct escape. They'd have to fight their way out if they intended to return.

**Arcadian Combined Forces Landing Area…**

Andrew Darkstar watched the final moments of the brief but fierce skirmish, withholding the sigh of relief he felt. This was his first true test, whether or not the plans he had laid would catch the TSAB mages off guard or not. It had clearly worked this time, and better yet, few of his forces had needed to reveal themselves for the battle. A prudent commander would likely guess his total actual strength to be somewhere on the order of 60-120% greater than what they had witnessed. In other words, the TSAB would likely assume his total strength to be somewhere on the order of 100 mages, when in truth he had twice that. Still, it wouldn't do for he himself to grow overconfident, as that was part of what had led the TSAB to defeat in this initial battle. Their next attack would be far larger in scope, and he would need to alter the defensive positions, lest the enemy know where they would be beforehand.

On a more positive note, it seemed that their detection interference had worked at least somewhat successfully. He glanced over at the four mages responsible for creating randomized pockets of disturbance throughout the surrounding area with their spell. It might be necessary for them to take a short break for the next couple hours, he reflected thoughtfully. It seemed unlikely another attack would occur before then, so he could probably pull back his defenses for a short spell.

When he turned back to look at his squadron leaders, he saw that their professionalism and training couldn't quite hold back the expression of exultant victory they felt inside. Allowing a sliver of smile to show on his own face, he addressed them briefly. "You and the rest of the men did well this first engagement," he told them, a slight edge taken off his usual stern manner. "Make sure to modify defensive positions, and don't relax your guard. The Administration Bureau will send a larger attack force soon. The real battles have only just begun."

Recovering some of their protocol, the men and women nodded sharply and moved to execute his orders swiftly and efficiently. Andrew and a few technical personnel were soon the only ones remaining at the tactical display. After another moment, Andrew found himself turning away from the monitor, looking again into the sky, wondering when the next battle would occur, and what the costs would be then.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: Kara90, Thanks... I hope you won't be put off by the following events, since I'm about to throw people for a loop. Rest assured, there is good reason for it (I don't want to spoil too much, but the crux of the story is how can Nanoha defeat someone overwhelmingly strong?)... And there is plenty of fighting, yes. As for romance, sorry to disappoint you, but not in this story, no, though there is some implied attraction here and there._

**12th Squadron Assembly Area…**

Only three people had managed to make it back from the initial battle. All were in bad shape, but they managed to deliver a report before being taken to the hospital for treatment. Nanoha stood next to a tactical display along with the other senior officers, going over what had taken place in the battle.

"So they say that the interference disabled all of their search magic, leading to the ambush?" one was saying.

Nanoha shook her head. "That's not quite right," she corrected, pointing to the map. "Their search magic wasn't disabled, but became so unreliable due to the interference, that they stopped using it around here, and relied on visual scanning only. However, the enemy forces were hidden beneath the forest canopy, making visual detection in those light conditions exceptionally difficult." With a wave of her hand, she replayed the first few moments of the battle. "You can see them emerge from their hiding places here. Their troop deployment is exceptional. The field commander certainly thought this through." Looking up at the others, she remarked, "We were completely caught off guard."

Her observations drew a few muffled coughs while others shifted uncomfortably. Nanoha suppressed another weary sigh. Too few of the TSAB mages had ever been in real combat, which was why people like her were so prized in the training corps. However, it was clear that while the enemy must have been preparing for real all out warfare for some time and training at least a large group of their mages accordingly, the TSAB was woefully lacking in that department.

Shifting the conversation point slightly, one of the officers pointed to the pockets of interference. "Do we have any idea what was causing our search magic to become so unreliable?"

Major Day handled this question. He could sense that some of the officers were becoming annoyed with Nanoha, through no real fault of her own. They had their pride, and it had been bruised sorely by the enemy forces, and Nanoha pointing out their faults was not making them feel any better. "We analyzed the pattern. Though it appears random, the range of the disturbances indicates a single, central location it's emanating from." He pointed to the relevant coordinates. "We think it must be a wide area magic, being cast from the center of the enemy controlled zone."

"So taking it out before the attack is out of the question," observed one officer.

Major Day nodded. "Caution is going to have to be the order of the day for the next attack."

Before anyone could add other thoughts, one officer cut in viciously. "Are we so sure that another attack is the proper course of action? We still aren't sure of the enemy's total strength, or even who they are, our first probe was virtually annihilated, and we know they're set up in an ambush, but we're just going to walk right back in anyways? And why only the Fast Response Squadrons? Where's the general mobilization?" " He threw up his hands in frustration. "Does this make any sense at all?"

A heavy silence hung over the room for a moment as they all looked around nervously. Except for Nanoha Takamachi. The young woman simply closed her clear blue eyes for a moment before fixing her gaze on the officer. "We have no choice." Though she spoke quietly, none had to strain to hear her. The sureness and stern determination in her voice made her seem far louder. "If they are able to completely secure that area and a full attack force lands, we will be in for a long, destructive conflict. While it's true the enemy has many advantages, the benefits of a victory now far outweigh the risks." Taking a deep breath, she looked around at all the gathered officers, her gaze and voice still calm, almost dangerously so. "The safety of the citizens of the Time Space Administration is our responsibility. We can do no less than to confront the enemy with courage, and fight them with maximum power."

The other officer stared at Nanoha, visage edged with stubborn defiance, but in the end, the cool gaze of the White Devil turned him aside, and he nodded in agreement sullenly. The pregnant moment following Nanoha's words passed, and Major Day cleared his throat, addressing them all once again.

"Then, as we agreed, the next attack will follow in 7 hours, with Captain Takamachi commanding." There were small motions of agreement made throughout the room. He turned to Nanoha. "I'd suggest you get some rest before final mission preparations, Captain. You'll still have a long flight ahead of you after mission start."

Nanoha nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you, Major. I'll think I probably could use a little nap first." Glancing at her watch, she decided she should also call the school to check in with Sister Schach and Vivio. She didn't want anyone to worry.

As the meeting broke, she strode out to a terminal where she could have a little bit more privacy, and set up a link to the Saint Church institution Vivio attended. Sister Schach's thin, angular face immediately appeared on the screen, looking somewhat concerned.

"Nanoha-san! I heard a little bit about what's going on. Are you alright?" asked Sister Schach breathlessly.

Nanoha smiled and waved away her concerns. "I'm fine, yes. I haven't actually deployed yet, so there's no need to worry about me quite yet. Is Vivio alright?"

Schach breathed a sigh of relief before becoming more composed. "Oh, yes. She's a little worried about you, since it isn't normal of you to not be around. But she likes the staff and they're treating her well." Schach paused a moment. "Um, Hayate-san was going to come by later to talk to Carim-sama, so I was thinking if you weren't back by then…"

Nanoha nodded, appreciative of Schach's efforts. "That's fine. I'm sorry to have to burden you with this, Sister Schach. Hopefully this will all be sorted out quickly."

Schach nodded slowly, understanding Nanoha's meaning—she'd end this as quickly as possible so everyone could return to their normal lives. "It isn't a problem, Nanoha-san. If you like, I can get Vivio for you," the plum haired woman offered.

"Yes, thank you. I don't want her worrying too much about me," Nanoha told the other woman with a smile.

Schach nodded and disappeared momentarily. Several moments later, Vivio popped into view, Schach reappearing in the background a second later, having apparently chased the girl down the hallway.

Seeing Vivio's lively face and smile brought one to Nanoha's face, and she felt a little brighter than she had for the past several hours. "Nanoha-mama!" cried Vivio exuberantly. "Where are you? They told me you were busy, but I've been wondering."

Nanoha gave Vivio a smile of reassurance. "I'm sorry, Vivio. Something important came up, so Nanoha-mama had to come to the base. It looks like I'm going to be here for a while, but there's nothing to worry about, OK?"

Vivio nodded. "OK. I miss you, Mama."

Nanoha had to check herself momentarily to avoid showing any of the hurt she felt inside at hearing those words. "I know, Vivio. I wish I knew when I'll be back, but it's a little complicated. Hayate-chan's going to be there later, though, so she and everyone else will be looking after you for just a bit, alright?"

Vivio looked over at Sister Schach, who nodded an affirmation. "OK."

Giving her adopted child a warm gaze, Nanoha told her, "I need to talk to Sister Schach about a few things before I go, Vivio. Be a good girl and don't cause Hayate-chan too much trouble, alright?"

Vivio smiled at the woman who had become her mother. "OK. Bye-bye, Mama."

The young girl scooted off to the side, and Nanoha could see Schach give her a wave. After another moment, Schach turned back to the screen. "What is it you wanted to say, Nanoha-san?"

Nanoha took a deep breath. "I probably shouldn't say too much, but it looks like the enemy might be a bit tough. We don't know too much about them. It'll be several more hours before the next battle." Nanoha paused. She wasn't very close with Sister Schach, but she felt like she had to talk to someone about her feelings. "I feel bad for telling Vivio not to worry at all," she admitted.

Schach gave her a bit of a concerned frown. "Is it really going to be that dangerous, even for you, Nanoha-san?"

Nanoha sighed, pursing her lips in thought. "It could be. The scout force was nearly wiped out in a few minutes." She blew out a breath, straightening her shoulders. "Sorry about that… I guess being a mother has made me a little more of a worrier."

Sister Schach shook her head. "No, that's not…" She fixed Nanoha with an anxious eye. "Nanoha-san, your body… It isn't…"

Nanoha gave Schach a reassuring smile, holding up her arm. "No, I'm feeling alright. It's true, I suppose," she admitted, "that I'm technically not an S+ mage anymore, but I won't be alone facing the enemy. There'll be 6 squadrons from the Aerial Forces. I'm just commanding them."

Schach breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. If you were going to go off and do something reckless again, I don't know what Hayate-san or the others would say."

Nanoha chuckled lightly. "I don't know if Sister Schach can really call me all that reckless," she pointed out to the outwardly calm and kind Saint Church attendant, who showed off a more fiery side when pressed into battle—not only was she the personal assistant of Carim Gracia, the head of the Saint Church Knights, she was a AAA class mage herself.

Sister Schach sputtered a bit at Nanoha's ribbing, before giving a heavy sigh. "I suppose I should have known better than to worry too much about Nanoha-san. Despite everything, I guess you're still the Aerial Forces' invincible Ace of Aces." She gave Nanoha a light smile. "Be careful, and don't worry about Vivio. We'll take good care of her until you get back."

Nanoha smiled appreciatively. "Thank you. And I will." With that, the call ended, and Nanoha was alone again.

Leaving the communications hub, Nanoha stepped out under the late afternoon sky. It was full on night at the engagement zone. The next engagement would happen mid-morning the following day. Looking up into the azure blue ceiling above her and pondering these time zone shifts, she suddenly found herself feeling the immensity of the world. For an aerial mage like herself, there was no where she could not go, and it rarely struck her anymore how large an entire world like Mid was. Casting her gaze back to the east, in the direction of the enemy force, she suddenly frowned, wondering what it was that drove these people to attack another world. Why had they disturbed the peace of this place with this sudden attack? What did they hope to gain?

Suddenly burdened with unanswered questions, she felt a somewhat glum state returning to her. Feeling a bit irritated with herself for letting her good mood following her chat with Vivio slip away, she decided to head for the barracks and see if she could catch a little shut-eye before the final preparation and briefing took place. She needed to be in top form tomorrow, and ensure that as many people went home alive as possible.

**11 hours later…**

The sun was finally climbing up into the sky, the dawn reds and oranges giving way to the clearer burning white globe surrounded by clear cerulean expanse. Nanoha Takamachi and nearly 70 other aerial mages hovered near their target area, on the edges of the interference which had proven so dangerous to the scouting party. Nanoha had discovered after a quick and unobtrusive experiment that her own Area Search spell had slightly higher efficacy than normal search magic, as it was capable of visual scanning as well as magical detection. However, using an Area Search over such an expansive area would be taxing, and if they were attacked while she was carrying it out, she'd be exceedingly vulnerable. While it was true the others in the attack force would be there to protect her in such an event, she knew their one greatest advantage lay in her own personal combat capability. Even if—due to the damage her body had sustained during the battle on the Cradle—she technically was no longer an S+ ranked mage, she still possessed the power of an S rank mage, and her combat experience was far greater than almost any other mages in the entirety of the TSAB.

It would be easy if she had Teana Lanster and her illusion magic here, Nanoha reflected. Unfortunately the young mage was an Enforcer with the Navigational Forces now. Nanoha would have to make do with what was available. It was rather risky, but the quickest and easiest way to lure the enemy out of hiding was by using some people as bait and drawing the enemy up to attack. Playing on a variation of the enemy's own tactics, most of the force would descend while they were still out of the enemy's sight, below the canopy. From there, they'd shadow the small group Nanoha had selected to draw out the ambushers. All of them had exceptional defensive skills, and she had instructed all to divert maximum power to their protection fields and barrier jackets. It left the main force with few people who could absorb a lot of damage, but if the plan worked out, it wouldn't be a big hindrance. The biggest gamble was having Nanoha herself lead in the decoy group. If she was taken out immediately—which her pragmatic mind wouldn't allow her to ignore the possibility of—things would fall apart rather rapidly. Still, she was the one most likely to survive an initial barrage, seeing as how she was the only one could resist AAA class attacks with little or no damage.

The decoy group advanced cautiously. Nanoha had sent a few of her Area Search globes with the main group to make sure they didn't run into anything unexpected. The drain was barely noticeable at this level, and she could concentrate on her defenses. As they moved in, the interference began increasing in frequency. It made sense that the area covered became less sporadic closer in since it was centered around one point.

Nanoha narrowed her eyes. They were approaching the contact point of the first engagement. Glancing around rapidly, she noted the previous positions of the enemy troops. If they weren't in the same location as last time, then the next logical place would be…

She drifted her small Area Search forward, still scanning the surrounding terrain as they edged closer. Suddenly, she detected movement at a distance. There was a natural choke point between two small ridges ahead. A natural move would be to avoid going over the top directly into an upward field of fire, and thus go straight through the gap.

She turned back to her squad, shouting, "We're about to be attacked! Boost defenses to maximum, and begin evasive maneuvers on my mark!" she told them through the secure band.

Nanoha concentrated on the small area the attackers were likely to be in. Checking the status of her main force, she suppressed a grimace. They were moving too slowly. If the enemy attacked within the next thirty seconds, the decoy force could be completely caught out and destroyed. There was little choice.

"Stay here," she ordered the rest sharply before blazing forward. "Raising Heart, Exceed Mode!"

"Drive Ignition," replied the intelligent device which had fought at her side through all her battles.

Coming to a quick stop near the likely enemy position, Nanoha readied her shot, loading a cartridge into the barrel. She knew she had only one chance. "Divine Buster Extension!" A massive blast of magical energy burst forth from her staff, lancing into the ground from long range and blasting apart the surrounding area. Her Extension shot wasn't her most powerful move, but it had far better range than her normal buster, and it was what she needed now.

Almost immediately, she came under attack, noting the mages scattering from her attack. Deftly evading the blasts that came her way, she quickly drew back, laying down a little covering fire meanwhile. The rest of the decoy force moved to back her up as the enemy forces boiled out like angry hornets from a nest.

"They're going to hit us hard," Nanoha told the others. "Main force, wait until you have a good shot." Leveling her staff, she readied herself. "Watch yourselves and make sure to cover one another. Go!"

The formation broke, Nanoha the only one going solo. Weaving through the blasts now filling the air, she tried to keep the enemy corralled in, not letting them encircle the small force. As the superior numbers of the enemy slowly pushed them back, however, things were looking dire.

At that precise moment, however, blasts came with shrieking force from below, as the main attack force burst from their cover, lacing through the enemy formation. They actually had the enemy outnumbered, it seemed, and the surprise attack had caught them off guard, putting the initiative squarely on the side of the TSAB forces.

**Arcadian Command Post…**

Andrew Darkstar watched the tactical display, suppressing a scowl. The enemy commander was good, as well as exceptionally daring. Already, most of the forces in that sector were in disarray, and his squadron leaders were hastily moving in neighboring forces to compensate.

"Sir, we count approximately 60 enemy personnel now, with only a few having been shot down already. We've lost nearly a full squadron already," reported the senior technician.

Andrew nodded slowly. "Lieutenant, prepare the reserve forces. We need to…"

His voice trailed off as a massive blast from the enemy commander cut through the formation, knocking down several of his soldiers. Eyes tightening in surprise, he zoomed in on the singular mage who was causing so much damage. As the picture resolved itself, he heard a collective gasp from the squadron leaders and technicians.

It was easy to see why, he admitted to himself, though he didn't let his own alarm show. "Nanoha Takamachi," he breathed, recognizing the auburn haired woman dressed in white.

"The White Devil of the Administration Bureau," one of the technicians stammered out, voice a mixture of awe and fear.

Andrew's eyes narrowed. This was unexpected. He hadn't thought one of the TSAB's aces would show up so quickly. "Belay that Lieutenant," he corrected himself. "I'll take in the reserve force personally."

The others looked at him apprehensively. None of them doubted the strength of their commander, but this woman was more than an ace. She was a legend, feared by all those who threatened the TSAB. "I understand, sir," replied the Lieutenant gravely. "Good luck."

Stepping out from under the small canopy, he lifted his right forearm, looking directly at the links on his wrist. "Are you ready, Shooting Star?" he asked his intelligent device.

"Prepared to engage," replied the cool feminine voice his device had adopted.

"Set up," he ordered quietly.

In a flash, the Field Commander of the Arcadian Combined Forces stood in his trademark jet black long coat worn over a dark gray and navy jumpsuit covered here and there with molded armor plates. The dark, dreary ensemble was one of the other reasons why he was known amongst the Arcadian forces as the Black Reaper. "Barrier Jacket: Assault Mode," reported Shooting Star.

Without another word, Commander Andrew Darkstar bolted into the morning sky to face down the most dangerous foe he had ever encountered.

It was one of the most chaotic battles Nanoha had ever been involved in. Initial force strength seemed to be about equal, though she imagined the enemy probably had more people elsewhere, but were unwilling to break up the whole of their defensive alignment just yet. At this point, things had mostly devolved into dozens of individual duels taking place all over the sky, despite her efforts to have her people work together. If she could get her forces reorganized, she might be able to cut a wide swath with her Starlight Breaker, but the way things were, her Divine Shooter ability was the only one that was truly useful at the moment.

Spinning around one incoming attack and firing her own, she sent another opponent trailing smoke as they spiraled to the ground. She ground her teeth at the brutal necessity of what she was doing. It wasn't the first time she had been forced to kill someone, and likely wouldn't be the last, but that didn't make it sit any better with her. Glancing around the battlefield as she continued dodging the fire which was coming from all directions, she found her forces slowly gaining the upper hand. If she could force them into a retreat, she could blow a hole straight through their defenses with her Excellion Buster, and they could seize the landing zone.

"All forces, this is Nanoha-san. We need to push the enemy back towards the center. Get them clustered and I'll take care of the rest!" she told them.

It took some doing, but the mages slowly worked the enemy towards the center. While it strengthened the defensive formation they were facing, it also immobilized them, which was exactly what she wanted.

"Alright, everyone move back," called Nanoha, charging up her attack.

"The firing area is clear," confirmed Raising Heart a second later.

"Alright. Let's blow through them, Raising Heart. Maximum power!" cried the Ace of Aces. A massive bundle of magical energy formed on the tip of her staff. "Excellion Buster!"

In a flash, the humongous blast shot forth, crashing into the circle of enemy mages and blowing apart their formation, several spiraling to the ground, disabled or dead. To the credit of the survivors, however, they quickly reformed, spreading out to prevent another attack from doing as much damage. However, Nanoha wouldn't be stopped by only that.

"One more time, Raising Heart. We'll sweep their formation and knock them all aside," she said firmly. She wouldn't need the Excellion Buster this time. A normal attack would be good enough.

"Clear to go," replied the intelligent device.

"Here we go. Divine Buster!"

Another huge blast followed, shrouding the area with dust and smoke from the impact. Frowning, Nanoha looked up at the blast zone. At the last moment, she thought she had felt something intercept her attack.

"You did it, Nanoha-san," called one of her Lieutenants. He waved the other forces to move forward towards the gap.

They stopped short, however, when the debris cloud cleared. Standing like a monolithic statue was a man dressed in a long black coat, magic barrier emanating from his left hand. Behind him lay the remains of the enemy formation. Nanoha's second attack had failed completely, deflected by that singular man.

Even Nanoha herself had to pause. It would take at least a AAA class mage to take that kind of attack, and even then, they'd likely suffer damage. This man had apparently defended her Divine Buster without much difficulty. He was on an entirely different level from the others.

"Pull back, now!" Nanoha called to the advancing forces.

Shaken from their state of shock by her words, they began to move. However, a few didn't move fast enough, and were lanced down from a multiple shot technique fired by the man in black.

Andrew shut down his barrier and spared a glance at the troops behind him. "Is everyone alright?"

"We could be doing better," admitted a squadron leader. "But we can still fight, sir."

Andrew shook his head tersely. "No, you're no match for that woman. I'll handle this."

"But sir!" he protested.

Andrew turned back to face the woman in white. "She's an S+ class mage. This isn't a battle you want to be caught up in. Fall back to secondary positions and cover me. Don't let anyone else through."

Andrew didn't bother listening to the Lieutenant's response. He knew his orders would be carried out. He had to concentrate now on the woman opposing him. He had read as much as he could about this woman and the other top aces of the TSAB. Unfortunately, acquiring actual footage of her battles had proven difficult. As such, he didn't really know too much about how she fought—of course, conversely she wouldn't know anything about his abilities, which meant he could keep some of his cards hidden for now. Playing everything he had at once wasn't an option; he had to beat every ace the TSAB could throw at him, and despite the hellish years he has spent preparing for this, he wasn't sure if it was possible even then. Remaining at this distance was suicide, in any case. Nanoha Takamachi had much better long range shooting magic than he did. He needed to close in to a more beneficial combat distance.

Nanoha watched the man momentarily, keeping herself calm and focused. She couldn't worry about the men and women who had just been shot down. If she didn't concentrate on the here and now, she just might find herself getting taken out. This was clearly no ordinary opponent.

As she watched, the man moved like a flash, closing the distance to her. _He's fast… But not as fast as Fate-chan_. Firing her own multiple shot directional attack, she maneuvered around to gauge his reactions. "Divine Shooter! Shoot!"

Andrew saw the incoming attack and countered directly. "Cosmic Blast! Execute!" A series of small explosions peppered the space between the combatants. A few of Nanoha's shots snuck through, but he managed to avoid them.

"She has slightly better control," he muttered to himself. His Cosmic Blast wasn't as maneuverable. That could be a problem. He was still out of optimal range, but that didn't mean he didn't have options. "Shooting Star, load cartridge! Solar Flare!"

Surprised by the attack, Nanoha threw up a shield. The attack was heavy, on the par of her Divine Buster. Quickly glancing about, she spotted him closing in on her flank. She fired another Divine Shooter. She was more accurate this time, necessitating a defensive move from the man in black.

Swinging about, she brought her staff to bear. "Time to go all out. Excellion Buster!"

Andrew saw the attack coming, the same one that had blasted his subordinates. It'd be dangerous to try and block that. "Solar Flare!"

Their beams, hers bright pink, his electric blue, struck head on. Both combatants grit their teeth against the pressure from the attacks. After wavering for a moment, the blue beam began to be pushed back by the powerful attack from the woman in white.

Andrew's eyes widened. She was even more powerful than he had expected. He threw up a quick barrier to blunt the attack, pulling back for a moment. However, Nanoha had already closed in, firing another Divine Shooter.

Again, Nanoha watched as the man in black dodged or intercepted her attack. The rapidity of his recovery, however, caught her off guard. The instant he had evaded her attack, he was bringing his own staff back to bear.

"Comet Pierce!" This was his fastest attack, a mid-range quick shot, and one of the reasons why he needed to get in this close. He had the upper hand here.

Nanoha quickly defended. The attack wasn't nearly as strong as the previous one, but it had come so fast, she hadn't had a chance to evade. She backed off, searching the skies. He hovered before her, not having pursued. Instead of firing again, Nanoha only watched him for a long moment.

"Who are you?" she called out. "Why are you doing all of this?"

Andrew frowned. She was stopping in the middle of a battle to ask him what his name was? This wasn't something he expected from the stories about the White Devil. Still, he didn't suppose it could hurt. After all, there was no point in fighting the TSAB if they didn't know what it was he hoped to gain out of it. "I suppose it would be the correct thing to introduce myself," he admitted slowly, "since I already know who you are, Captain Nanoha Takamachi." Fixing the auburn haired woman with his dark hazel eyes, he said, "My name is Commander Andrew Darkstar, of the Arcadian Combined Forces. As to why I'm doing this… That should be obvious to a TSAB mage. I want my people to be free."

Nanoha frowned. She had never heard of Arcadia. Was it one of the Administrated Worlds, then? She had never heard of one clamoring for independence, but then again, her knowledge of TSAB history wasn't the best, having come from Earth, a Non-Administrated world.

"Aren't there better ways to seek independence, Darkstar-san?" she asked him. "There's no need for us to fight if that's what you're after."

Andrew frowned, somewhat confused. "This is the only way remaining to us. I apologize, Captain Takamachi. I have nothing against you personally, but I have no choice but to defeat you," he told her evenly.

Nanoha was mystified herself. She couldn't detect any overt animosity in this man, and the look in his eyes was totally sincere, and even a little sad. "I guess I'll have to beat you then, to make you listen to me," she replied.

Without further ado, the battle continued. With this man's speed, she'd have little chance to use her Starlight Breaker, Nanoha knew. Her only possibility would be to capture him in a bind then knock him out with magical damage.

Maneuvering for a clear shot, again she traded directed shots with him before forcing him to defend with a shot from her Crossfire Shoot. This was her chance.

"Restrict Lock!"

Andrew suddenly found himself immobile. "A bind? That fast? Incredible," he muttered to himself. Her skill with orthodox magic was astonishing, even more so than her outright power. He spotted her above him, charging up her Excellion Buster. Quickly, he diverted energy to his Barrier Jacket, forcing it to explode outward in a burst, blowing him free of the bind and allowing him to dodge her attack by a hair.

As he reformed his Barrier Jacket, he spied her preparing another buster shot. "She sure is persistent," he commented lowly. Hoping he'd make it in time, he raised his own staff. They fired almost simultaneously.

"Excellion Buster!"

"Starfire Break!"

This time when their beams struck, it was Nanoha's turn to be surprised. Her own buster was being pushed back. "Raising Heart, I'm counting on you!" she called out.

"Alright," replied the unflappable device, increasing its power output.

Nanoha shuddered as the beam increased in intensity. Her body could barely handle this now. Normal Exceed Mode was fine, but this man was extraordinarily strong.

A massive explosion rocked both of them as their beams detonated against each other, coating the area in a smokescreen. When Nanoha's vision cleared, Andrew was still pointing his staff at her, however, it had changed somewhat, electric blue fins sprouting from the front which now featured four prongs instead of two.

"You're stronger than I had anticipated, Captain Takamachi," he admitted, as she caught a glint of respect in his voice. "But it's over now. Shooting Star, Nova Strike Mode. Execute."

"Nova Strike Mode engaged," confirmed his intelligent device.

Nanoha's eyes widened. He had another mode for his device? That meant he had been fighting her Exceed Mode at less than full power. How strong was he?

"Solar Flare Nova. Execute!"

The glowing cerulean beam came faster, broader this time. Nanoha barely brought her own buster around in time. "Excellion Buster! Maximum power!"

The contact explosion was far closer to her this time, and she coughed on the smoke surrounding her. When her vision cleared, she gasped in shock. She was completely surrounded by dozens of his directed attack rounds, hovering about her in a loose sphere. She didn't even have time to raise her arm.

"Cosmic Blast, Storm Burst."

The shots came crashing in on Nanoha, overloading even her barriers. She had underestimated him. Her last conscious thought was how she would ever explain this to Vivio.

Andrew lowered his staff slowly, watching as the wounded Ace of Aces dropped from the sky, her intelligent device managing to keep her flight fins active to prevent a fatal descent. As he watched, she was caught by the troops who had remained behind with her.

"You… Damn you!" cried one of them, as he and several other colleagues rush upwards to face Andrew.

"No, stop, you're no match for someone who beat Nanoha-san!" screamed another from below. His call was ignored however, as the others raced forward.

"Cosmic Blast," ordered Andrew calmly. Most of the mages were dropped by his first wave. A few others continued forward, having managed to defend. Again, Andrew reacted with utter composure. "Gravity Hold."

Suddenly, the onrushing mages slowed, their movements being constricted by Andrew's area bind. Looking forward, their eyes widened as a large mass of magic formed in front of his upraised staff. "Meteor Strike. Execute."

As his arm swung down, the huge mass thundered towards them, exploding in their midst before they could escape. They all fell from the sky, with the exception of one heavily wounded mage who still struggled forward, swinging his staff at the man before them who had somehow cast down their hero.

Andrew blocked the man's attack with his bare hand, staring at him, eyes revealing nothing. "Still you press on? Do you want to end your existence that badly? If you're not treated soon, your life will be over," he stated evenly.

"What does it matter?" the other spat out. "After what you did to Nanoha-san… I don't care if I die, if I can take you down, too!"

Andrew could only look at him, a hint of sorrow passing across his face. "War… is a most terrible endeavor," he observed regretfully, pointing his staff at the man. "Cosmic Blast Arrow Shot."

A single bolt blasted the man, flash burning his flesh and sending him too tumbling down. A moment later, with the skies apparently clear, one of his squadron leaders approached.

"Commander. We've confirmed it. Enemy forces in retreat. The field is ours," he told his superior, unable to keep a note of pride out of his voice.

Andrew breathed a sigh of relief, finally allowing his emotions to show. "Very well, Lieutenant. Keep some men on station just in case, have the wounded moved back for treatment, and secure the area for General Lagan's landing. Good work."

As the Lieutenant departed, Andrew observed the field for another long moment, watching as Nanoha was taken away by the TSAB forces. He was struck somewhat by the peculiarity of her words to him, in opposition to the spirited and uncompromising if not ruthless way she fought. She was certainly an interesting opponent if nothing else. With that final thought, he turned away from the battlefield, returning to the command post, having fired the first shot in what he hoped was as short and bloodless a war as possible.

_Author's Note: So, I'm sure the howls of protest will commence now. Yes, Andrew defeated Nanoha. But you know what? It's kind of hard to have a believable antagonist for the heroes if he's absolutely no threat at all. When the heroes are as strong as Nanoha and her friends, the antagonists have to be really strong, too. Is this seemingly a textbook example of The Worf Effect (look it up on TV Tropes if you don't recognize the term)? Yeah, probably. So sue me. Also remember though that Nanoha was weakened by her fight on the Cradle, and that she didn't know exactly how strong he'd be--he openly admits later he got a little lucky. It may seem totally unreasonable, but every time he wins, there is absolutely a reason for it, beyond adding to the drama. If anyone is wondering, by the way, the title of Stars refers to Nanoha (who of course led the Stars unit in Strikers) and Andrew (who has the word star in his last name), since it's about their conflicts._


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: The backstory behind the Arcadian/TSAB conflict, which is gone into with some detail in this chapter, has had some people asking me why the TSAB would ever do something so terrible. I've reworked it a bit to make it clear that a number of things were going on, and several factors were involved, but it doesn't change the fact that they do something which they are now not proud of. Many nations have done things in the past which would be considered horrific crimes (my own country, the US, for example, had a long history of slavery, and we nearly exterminated the native population), and I don't think the TSAB should be exempt from that, nor should they be exempt from having the human failing of doing something bad and then being too ashamed to fix it. Are they mostly good guys now? Yes, but if there are still people like Regius and the floating brains like in StrikerS, then definitely, some bad stuff might have happened before. Also, I explain the Orussian situation better in this revision._

**TSAB Medical Center…**

Nanoha Takamachi slowly opened her eyes, the light above her stinging painfully. Her body ached, and her mind was fuzzy. She tried thinking back on what had just happened. Her thoughts came tumbling in, spilling over her in a wave. The alert call, the deployment, her duel with the man in black, Commander Andrew Darkstar of the Arcadian Combined Forces, whatever that meant. As she tried to sit up, she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder as a shadow passed over her head, shielding her from the stabbing lights.

"No, you mustn't try to sit up just yet," a soft, familiar voice told her. Blinking, Nanoha looked up into the pretty face of a woman with long blond hair and beautiful scarlet eyes. It was the concerned face of her closest friend, Fate Testarossa Harlaown, an Enforcer with the Navigational Forces and S+ ranked mage.

"Fate-chan," Nanoha whispered, forcing a slight smile onto her face. "I guess I screwed up, huh?"

Fate's face was near stricken. She quickly shook her head. "Nanoha…"

Another figure stepped near the bed, leaning over as well. This woman had short brown hair and a serious face. She was one of Nanoha's other close friends, Colonel Hayate Yagami from Army Special Investigations. "Don't worry, Fate-chan. The doctors say that Nanoha-chan will be fine in a day or two. Her injuries were mostly superficial." She looked down at Nanoha, asking more seriously, "But Nanoha-chan, who could possibly have done this?"

"Firstly, is Vivio alright?" Nanoha asked, fearful for what her condition might be doing to her daughter.

Hayate smiled gently. "She's with Signum and Shamal." Hayate paused. "We… couldn't keep the news from her. Once you were shot down and the attack force routed, it was all over the network. I'm sorry, Nanoha-chan."

Nanoha shook her head. "No, it isn't your fault, Hayate-chan." A single tear dripped down her face. "I can't believe I did something like this to her…"

Fate gripped Nanoha's hand firmly, shaking her head. "This wasn't your fault, Nanoha. I know how you must feel, but… Vivio will be alright, and so will you. By the end of the day, you'll be released like Hayate said, and Vivio will see that you're alright," the blond woman told her in her soft, kind voice, thought not without a tremulous note at this time.

Nanoha bit her lip, remembering her conversation with Vivio earlier. "I told her everything would be fine, that I'd be home quickly… and then this happens… I didn't… He was so strong…" She tilted her head to look at Hayate. "I'm sorry, Hayate-chan, I know you had to ask."

Hayate shook her head. "No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have so soon. We can wait a little bit, if you want."

Nanoha closed her eyes for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I can talk now. Can you help me sit up, Fate-chan?"

Fate nodded, gently placing a hand under her shoulder to help her to a sitting position. Nanoha slipped the mask off her face and stared up at the ceiling, remembering her encounter. "He said his name was Commander Andrew Darkstar of the Arcadian Combined Forces." Hayate drew back in surprise at her words. The other two women glanced at her, recognizing her emotion for what it was.

"Hayate? What's the matter?" asked Fate.

Hayate's face crinkled, thinking back on what Verossa Acous and Chrono Harlaown had told her only the other day. "Arcadia… I guess we should have known," she whispered. Face becoming more serious, she looked at both her friends and began speaking. "A few days ago, we lost contact with forces in Sector 31, which is dominated by a large, powerful planet called Arcadia. It's an Administrated World, but…" Clasping her hands behind her back, she nervously paced a bit before continuing. "Chrono and Rossa told me that Arcadia was forced into the TSA nearly a century ago. In the time of the Three Admirals, their campaign to unite Dimensional Space took them many places. Very few worlds resisted uniting under the TSA. One of them, the one that fought the most, was Arcadia. It was a highly valuable planet due to its resources and industrial base. It was also a center of Belkan culture, as an ancient Belkan outpost there remained virtually untouched after the fall of the Belkan Empire. They developed a magic system incorporating elements of Belkan and Mid-Childa principles after the Mid cultural expansion. They were asked to join fairly early on in the campaign, but refused and told the TSAB to leave them alone. The TSAB commanders were very leery of allowing a world with that kind of magical culture remain unmonitored, but they didn't want to force the issue just then—the planet was very powerful, and it could have cost them dearly, and there were dozens of other worlds to deal with. Several years later on, though, the fleets returned after most of the campaigns had been completed, and once again demanded the Arcadians enter the Dimensional community, but once again, they refused and got ready to fight. The fleet attacked. The casualties on both sides were enormous—the Arcadians fought tooth and nail. One of the reasons the TSAB couldn't pin down a victory, despite overwhelming numbers, was a man by the name of Shrike Darkstar, the head of one of the former noble families that had once ruled Arcadia, centuries ago."

Nanoha's clear blue eyes widened. "Darkstar? Then maybe the man I fought…"

Hayate nodded. "It would seem he's a descendant of that family. They were renowned for their incredible magical strength and aptitude—according to information in the Infinity Library, they were apparently called the Sword of Arcadia. Shrike Darkstar was an extraordinarily powerful mage, and he held off several large offenses nearly single-handedly. In the end, an elite strike force of a dozen AAA class mages was dispatched to hunt down and kill him. They lost most of their number, but eventually succeeded. However, the Arcadians still refused to surrender, despite the death of their hero. The TSAB gave them an ultimatum, to turn over any potentially dangerous technology, or face dire consequences… And when they refused, the fleet commanders, fearing a continuation of the fighting, and a possible disaster… started bombing cities from orbit," Hayate admitted, sounding sick.

Fate drew back in horror. "They couldn't have. All those people… innocent civilians..."

Hayate nodded grimly. "Yes. The TSAB leaders thought it was the only way to end the war with the planet mostly intact. They wanted to stop what they thought was the possible aggression by Arcadia against the rest of Dimensional Space, and to prevent a catastrophe like the one that destroyed Belka. The casualties were horrendous. Whole cities were bombed out of existence. Faced with annihilation, the Arcadians finally capitulated."

Nanoha looked grieved, thinking back to what Andrew had said to her, how fiercely determined he had been. It was no wonder, with the kind of atrocities his people had gone through, and a member of his own family, assassinated. "So that's why they're demanding independence," she mused softly.

Hayate nodded, looking out the window. "Yes. They petitioned the TSAB council for decades, but they were always been refused. There were enough hardliners still around to prevent it from happening, and over time, well..." Hayate turned back to her friends. "Chrono and Rossa said that what happened to Arcadia is something most people would simply like to forget. Nobody's proud of what happened there, but they thought it was necessary to secure Dimensional Space and prevent a disaster. Nearly all mention of the conflict has been erased from a lot of official history, and at this point, the Council has pretty much let it slip away into the past."

"Why can't they simply grant the Arcadians independence if they desire it so badly?" asked Fate, torn between her anger at the man who had shot down Nanoha and her sorrow that such things had been done by the TSA in the name of peace and unity.

Hayate shrugged helplessly. "It's complicated, I guess. Arcadia is a strategically important world. Its trade and industry is very valuable, a few people are still wary of them, and I guess they don't want to set any sort of precedent, and have worlds across Dimensional Space in open revolt. As an Enforcer, you should know how much time and effort the TSAB puts into simply keeping things under control as they are now. A full fledged revolt would be catastrophic. And so, Arcadia remains part of the TSA, watched carefully for signs of rebellion—though not as carefully lately. The fact that they amassed these sorts of forces without us knowing is actually pretty amazing," she admitted. With a heavy sigh, she fixed her friends with a hard stare. "I know it's a terrible thing, but even so, we have no choice but to fight back. Lives are at stake here on Mid, and we have a responsibility to protect those lives. After that, then maybe we can start thinking about the Arcadian situation as a whole."

Fate looked away, clearly uncomfortable with the entire state of affairs, but nodded reluctantly. As Hayate stated, she was an Enforcer, with a responsibility to maintain the peace and uphold the law. The fact of atrocities committed against them in the past was no license to engage in violent and hostile acts.

Nanoha glanced between her two friends, taking in all that had been said, and thinking back on all that she had seen. "It's true that the Arcadians have a rightful grievance against the TSA," she began quietly, remembering the sense of terrible purpose that had surrounded Andrew Darkstar. "But it's also true that innocent people will be caught up in this conflict. We have to stop the fighting first to protect everyone before we can talk to the Arcadians about independence."

Hayate nodded slowly. "Alright. Then we're all agreed. I have to head out to Ground Forces HQ. They're mobilizing a major force, but… It looks like their main force has already landed."

Fate nodded. "Chrono told me there was a short engagement with the ships the Navigational Forces were able to muster on short notice, but they weren't able to drive off the enemy fleet and landing craft. I have to be reporting back myself, actually," she admitted. "I think Yuuno was going to come by later, so you won't be alone," she told Nanoha.

Hayate nodded as well. "If you want, I can have Signum bring Vivio by, Nanoha-chan."

Nanoha shook her head. "No, not yet… I don't want her to see me like this. It'll just worry her more." She smiled at her friends. "Thank you for taking care of everything."

Fate gripped Nanoha's hand tightly, the warmth passing between the two old friends as clear as a summer day. "Always, Nanoha. Always."

Hayate looked on, genial smile brightening her face as well. "Well, Fate-chan and I have to be off now. Don't worry; we'll be back as soon as we can."

Nanoha nodded as Fate slowly released her hand and moved to follow Hayate out the door, giving Nanoha one last look before stepped through the door, blond hair swishing behind her.

After the two had gone, Nanoha leaned back against the pillows beneath her, staring up at the ceiling again. Despite her firm words, it would be difficult to fight against the Arcadians, knowing the story of their tragedy, and against Andrew Darkstar, whom she thought she understood a little bit better now. However, more difficult than fighting against someone you knew had a true cause to fight, was fighting against someone with the strength and discipline of the Arcadian forces. Nanoha knew it now; Andrew must have been their elite instructor as well as combat ace, like Nanoha herself. In order to beat the Arcadians, he would have to be defeated completely, himself and his tactics and training. If they couldn't do that, it would be a long, brutal conflict indeed.

**Arcadian Combined Forces Landing Zone…**

Another drop ship, landing lights ablaze in the dark sky, descended upon the open field, disgorging its payload of ground mages the instant it touched down. Dozens of such vessels now littered the area, with a large base being set up as now over a thousand personnel roamed the terrain Andrew Darkstar and his elite aerial mages had captured.

Andrew himself was returning from his perimeter inspection, his forces having warded off several probes from TSAB ground forces over the past few hours. Fortunately, no major attacks since the one led by Nanoha had occurred, and it seemed as if the TSAB were reorganizing themselves.

The command tent had been replaced by a prefab building, and he stepped inside, to find Generals Lagan and Goren stooped over a large map, surrounded by their staffs. All the heads in the room turned towards him as he stepped in. Coming to attention, he snapped off a correct salute to the two generals.

"Commander Andrew Darkstar reporting, sirs," he told them in his characteristically stern but not harsh voice.

The generals returned his salute and Goren beckoned him to join them. "Good work today, Commander. We're all proud of the work you've done," Goren told him, slight smile on Andrew's mentor's face.

Lagan grunted softly, looking at the map. "I'll agree that our tactical situation is quite good, and you did well against that Takamachi woman… However, our strategic situation could be much better." He scrolled the map around. "This town nearby would give us a good position to launch the next series of offensives. You certainly could have seized it with your remaining forces following the TSAB attack, but now it's occupied by their ground forces."

The question and rebuke was clear in his tone and refusal to look at the younger man. Andrew had expected something like this. It wouldn't be the first time Lagan had questioned his command decisions. "Our current position suffices for our purposes, General, and it's unlikely the city would have held out against a counter-attack from the TSAB ground forces. There was no reason to fight for a piece of ground we would likely have lost," he told the senior officer. He knew what Lagan would have said if he had also mentioned his hesitation at involving civilians unnecessarily, and kept the comment out of his explanation.

Lagan growled, but yielded to that line of reasoning. "I suppose so. Still, it leaves them a defensible position closer to here than I'd like. At the very least, we should send one of Goren's aerial mage units to strike it."

Goren was about to speak when Andrew launched another protest. "General, even if there are TSAB soldiers based there, it's still a civilian target—"

Lagan cut him off. "A civilian target you say?" he roared. "Did the TSAB respect the sanctity of civilians when they bombed our world?"

Andrew, knowing he had played into Lagan's hands, refused to back down. "Sir, with respect, this isn't the old war."

Lagan pounded his fist on the table. "Maybe not, but if we are going to show the TSAB just how serious we are, it's going to take a gesture of brutality, something they'll understand. They have to know we aren't to be trifled with."

Goren watched the exchange quietly, then spoke up. "Commander, General Lagan does have a point. And the Inner Council has approved actions against civilians if we deem it necessary," he pointed out.

Andrew's face tightened. He hadn't expected to face opposition from both of them. But it didn't matter. He would not deviate from his position. This entire operation had been his plan, and he was not going to let them derail that; there was too much at stake. "Killing civilians isn't the only way to show our strength, let them know what it'll cost them in this war," he stated coldly. "Shooting down their legendary ace Nanoha Takamachi has given them a glimpse."

Lagan looked sideways at the younger man, feeling a slight chill at the grim resolve in Andrew's voice despite himself. _It's no wonder the younger mages named him the Black Reaper_. "What are you saying?"

Andrew glanced down at the map. "It's really quite simple, General. I'll find their vaunted aces, the pride and strength of their military. And I'll crush them. Every last one." It had been the reason for his existence this past decade, every day focused on only one thing: become the weapon needed to defeat the TSAB.

Looking back up at the assembly, his face had settled into a dangerous stillness that Goren knew all too well. They had been right, when they formulated their plans before this war. Their best chance was to unleash this man. He wasn't just their field commander; he was the deadliest weapon they had.

Lagan didn't look completely convinced. "And how are you going to draw them in?"

Andrew brought back up some of the shots of Nanoha they had taken during the previous engagement. "It's rather simple. Most of their aces are close friends of Captain Takamachi. When I go to the front lines, they'll find me. And when they do, I'll shoot them out of the skies." He turned back to Lagan. "Tomorrow, we'll begin a push forward. If my surmise is correct, the first one to come will be Enforcer Fate Harlaown. And once their two most famous aces are out of the way, we'll roll across their land like a tidal wave," he concluded grimly, sweeping his arm across the map.

Lagan considered this. Finally, he nodded in agreement. "Alright, Commander. We'll do it your way for now. Begin preparations immediately. This war is about to begin in earnest."

**TSAB Medical Center…**

Nanoha pulled her shirt on, lifting her long plait out before slipping on her shoes. She was in civilian wear, being that she was on stand-down following her injuries. Stepping outside, she found her friend, Yuuno Scrya, who had introduced her to the world of magic so long ago and was now the Head Librarian of the Mid-Childa Infinity Library, and her daughter, Vivio waiting out in the hallway. Giving them a smile, she told them, "Alright, I'm ready to go."

Vivio clung to her leg as the three made their way out of the hospital and into the waiting taxi below. Yuno elected to sit in the front, with Vivio curling up next to her mother in the back seat. The young archaeologist and librarian turned to look back at Nanoha. "You're sure you're feeling alright?" he asked, trying to keep the concern out of his voice and only partially succeeding.

Nanoha nodded. "Yep, I'm doing well as can be expected. The doctors wouldn't have let me out otherwise, no matter how much I badgered them," she said, chuckling.

Yuuno gave her an amused look. "I don't know about that. I'm sure you could have intimidated them into letting you go, Nanoha."

Nanoha laughed weakly as Vivio looked up at her mother. "Uncle Yuuno knows how scary Nanoha-mama can be too, huh?" the child asked her mother, slight smile on her face. Even Vivio had heard some of the stories about Nanoha.

Nanoha patted Vivio on the head. "You two really do enjoy picking on me, huh? I guess I can't win in this situation."

Yuuno chuckled and turned back around. Glancing back at Nanoha quickly, he established a telepathic connection. "_Are you really doing alright, Nanoha? No matter what, you did get shot down, after all."_

_"Yeah, I really am alright. I managed to put up a shield at the last moment, otherwise my wounds could've been a lot worse."_

Yuuno couldn't keep the frown off his face, though facing forward as he was, neither Nanoha nor Vivio could see his expression. _"Was the man you fought really that strong?"_

Nanoha glanced out the window, absently stroking Vivio's head. _"Yeah… He was definitely an S+ class mage. With my body the way it is…"_ She allowed her thoughts to trail off. Despite herself, she found she was thinking a lot about that day on the Cradle recently. She hadn't been in any tough battles since that day, partly due to a lack of enemies, but also partly due to her condition, which left her temporarily on inactive duty, along with her vacation to care for Vivio. Despite the time that had passed, her condition hadn't really improved; the erosion of her connections to her linker core hadn't healed much, if at all.

This time, Yuuno couldn't help but look back at Nanoha, concerned. _"Nanoha…"_ He gave her the most assured smile he could muster. _"Don't worry. You won't have to fight again. Once the Ground Forces assemble, they'll be able to take care of the Arcadians__, and the Council will re-secure the planet and make sure it doesn't happen again_. And if that Darkstar guy shows up again, Fate and everyone else will be able to handle it, I know it."

Nanoha smiled back, though the gesture felt almost hollow. _"Yeah… Thanks, Yuuno-kun. I feel a little better."_

Looking down at Vivio, she shook her head, trying to forget about all the depressing things that had been filling her mind. Yuno was right. The Ground Forces were moving in right now, and with a lot of the other aces recalled, they'd be able to deal even with the devastating power of the man in black, Andrew Darkstar. Yes, they'd definitely win, she assured herself. Definitely.

**TSAB Ground HQ…**

Colonel Hayate Yagami took her seat at the long table with sat beneath the huge tactical monitor. Next to her sat Enforcer Fate Testarossa Harlaown, and scattered around the table were several other high ranking officials from the Ground Forces Command, the Special Rescue Division, and Admiral Chrono Harlaown representing the Navigational Forces and Inspector Verossa Acous. They had all assembled to discuss their plan of attack to drive the Arcadians off Mid-Childa.

Up on the monitor, a diagram of the current situation appeared. The senior Ground Force general gestured up. "Currently, the Arcadian forces are clustered here. They're expanding their perimeter, and we're not sure exactly how many troops they have landed, but our last reliable count was upwards of 2000. We positioned ourselves in a defensive formation here, in this nearby town. The population is small, and we've been evacuating whoever we can, but it's slow going. Our mobilization response time hasn't been good," he admitted darkly, tone hinting that the parties responsible for the poor state of readiness would be lucky to remain in the current positions in the immediate future. "Still, we have nearly 3000 troops in the vicinity already. Our hope is to contain them while we build up for one massive attack, but we can't count on them staying put for that long. It's been suggested that a combined land and air operation launch using the town as a staging point, and attack their flanks here. If we can cause some chaos, it will buy a little time to move up reinforcements and allow the Navy to position some ships to blockade any further drops." He turned to Chrono for his opinion.

"It's true; setting up a blockade wouldn't take many ships. However, we also have to consider the possibility of them launching a second landing. Preventing that would force us to push the defensive perimeter out further and require more ships than we have available for a tight net. If this is going to work, we need to defeat the Arcadians quickly. Also," Chrono added, fists gripping his armrests tightly, "the situation on Orussia is becoming more dangerous. It's possible we may be called in to provide more assistance."

One of the other generals frowned; Hayate could sense what he really wanted to do was glare, but contained himself from such a hostile look in this sort of high level briefing. She suppressed a sigh. The politics that came with this level of operations tired her considerably. The Orussian civil war had continued practically unabated for decades now, and in the last few weeks, it seemed the previous cease-fire had broken down, and the two sides were attacking each other even more viciously than before. They had even begun attacking ostensibly neutral sites and raiders linked to both sides were going after shipping in the area, too. The TSAB peacekeeping force there was in a lot of trouble, and they had begun to take casualties as they were caught in the middle. "We happen to be in the middle of a full-scale war," the thin man pointed out, keeping most of the acid out of his voice. "You can't possibly tell me there are greater priorities than that."

A general from the air forces shook his head. "Unfortunately it's more complicated than that," he corrected, voice heavy with weariness. "The Council doesn't believe the situation is as bad as it is, no matter what we try to tell them. They don't see 2000 troops as a major threat."

The thin general stared in disbelief. "You can't be serious. Has anyone told them that the enemy has at least one S class mage with them? That Captain Takamachi was shot down? I know the Orussian situation hasn't been this bad in decades, but we are under attack! I can live with defeating the enemy forces before launching a counter-offensive, but…"

Hayate took a deep breath and interrupted, knowing it was risky for someone of her rank to stick her neck out like this amongst such company, especially given what she was about to say. "I'd say, General, that for the immediate moment, what the Council thinks isn't particularly important. If we defeat the Arcadians presently, the fact of their obstinacy will be immaterial. Further, if we fail to defeat the Arcadians, then they will have no choice but to take matters more seriously. I submit, therefore, that our primary goal now must be to concentrate on using what forces we currently have and enacting the best plan we can conceive."

The thin general sat back, grumbling slightly as the room pored over Hayate's thoughts on the matter. As Hayate glanced across the room, trying to gauge their reactions, she caught a wink from Acous and a slight smile from the usually taciturn Chrono. Face flushing slightly, she looked down at the table, resisting the urge to sink down in her chair, knowing she had to face these older, more experienced officers staunchly, or they would never give her words weight.

The senior general sat up, giving Hayate a slow nod that boosted her spirits immeasurably. "Colonel Yagami's correct; we don't have the luxury of considering what the Council might do in the future. We need to focus on what we're doing right now. The Arcadians have shown what will happen if underestimate them; we can't allow it to happen again. I want everyone to break up into groups, come up with an attack plan, and we'll reconvene in 2 hours. Groups will be assigned thusly…"

It turned out that Hayate ended up with Fate, Chrono, and the senior air forces general. Shuffling into a side conference room adjacent to the main one, they quickly brought up the monitor.

"One of the advantages we have," Chrono was saying, after all introductions had concluded, "is that they're going to be forced to attack us. Strictly speaking, we don't need to go on the offensive—we can allow them to expend themselves on attacks and slowly grind them down."

The general grimaced, looking up at the troop locations displayed on the monitor. "While I appreciate that such an idea is the safest course available to us, it's also the slowest, and will be perceived by most of the others as too cautious a strategy. And, like you noted, it's possible the Navigational Forces and some of our Enforcers will be called away to Orussia, stripping us of vital assets and opening the possibility of enemy reinforcement."

Hayate stood, looking at the map. "Actually, I think that engaging in a slow defensive engagement may be one of our worst options," she commented slowly.

The others looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean by that, Hayate?" asked Chrono.

"What I mean is, despite the quality of the Arcadian troops, and victories they've scored so far, they have to know how grievously outnumbered and outgunned they are by TSAB forces. A direct assault on Mid is an extremely aggressive move, and likely designed for one thing: to force a quick resolution."

Fate frowned. "A quick resolution? You mean they're not planning for a long war?"

Hayate nodded. "More than that, they realize they don't have the resources for such, not against the combined weight of the Administrated Worlds. Let's think; what's their actual goal?"

Chrono nodded, understanding now. "I see what you're saying, Hayate. Their aim is to force us to accept their independence. Their plan is to do the maximum amount of damage possible to force us to the bargaining table. It also means they're probably hunkering down tight on Arcadia, hoping they can force an end before we can launch a significant counter-attack."

The general stroked his chin thoughtfully. One of the patrols sent to Arcadia had been destroyed, and another barely limped back, reporting several enemy ships and light planetary defenses… neither of which anyone could figure out how the Arcadians managed to build, let alone hide. "That makes sense, and it jibes with what our surviving patrol found when they jumped into Arcadian space. If that's the case, they'll be launching major attacks, and soon. Our major concern then is going to be to try and force a decisive engagement where our superior numbers can be of greatest use. Meanwhile, they're going to try and sting us as much as possible, chipping at us and turning sentiment against a continuation, at which point they'll be able to claim victory."

Hayate turned to Fate. She knew the blond woman wouldn't like the next part. "True. There's one more thing, though." She took a deep breath. She knew what she was about to say would hurt her friend, just as it hurt her to speak them. "Fate-chan, this means that if you encounter Andrew Darkstar out there, no duels."

Fate's eyes widened momentarily widened in surprise at Hayate's statement. "Hayate, what are you saying? If I find him, I'll shoot him down. Isn't that our best strategy? We need to deal with him."

Hayate shook her head. "No, we need to neutralize him. Fate-chan, what could be worse for our morale than for our aces to be shot down one by one? In all likelihood, he'll be looking for you, to take you out like he took out Nanoha-chan."

Fate's face tightened at Hayate's reminder of the status of her closest friend. "Hayate…" She looked away, small traces of anger draining away, replaced by an almost morose look. "I understand, but…"

Chrono sighed. "Well, I understand what you're saying, too, Hayate, but if we have a chance to take him out of action, we need to take it. Nanoha estimated his strength at S+. He's an extremely dangerous opponent who can cause major damage to us."

Hayate nodded. "Yes… Our goal has to be to try to engage their forces where he is not present. By denying them a chance to use their strongest weapon, we can definitely gain an advantage. The problem, of course, is implementing such a strategy."

Looking up at the map again, the air general pursed his lips. "It's true that's our best bet. However, such a strategy means that any operation would be two fold. Firstly, a series of small engagements to whittle away their strength, while avoiding the core of their troops, and then luring them in for one major battle. It's true, we could use the skirmishes to try and drive them into a more favorable position for our big strike, but it's extremely complicated. Many things could go wrong," he pointed out cautiously.

Hayate nodded. "I know, General. However, there is one way to ensure where they'll strike: present them a target they can't ignore."

Chrono looked at Hayate, face tightening a little, but revealing nothing. "You understand what you're suggesting, Hayate? That we allow a corridor to attack a high value target… It makes a certain sense, that we show them something and slam the door behind them, but…"

The general sighed, stroking his chin and staring back at the map. "It's true such a strategy would diminish the unknowns, but…" He shook his head. "It's going to be very difficult to get the rest of the general staff to agree to such a thing. If they somehow penetrate our lines and actually attack whatever target we select, the damage could be catastrophic."

Hayate's face was like stone as she faced down the senior officers. "I know. But war is a risky endeavor, no matter what precautions we might take. If we play this right, we can end the war within a week."

Chrono stared at the map intently for a long moment after Hayate finished speaking. Finally, he let out a resigned sigh of his own. "It's true there are substantial risks, but… I can't think of a better plan," he admitted slowly. "To simply try and wait them out is unacceptable, and while Hayate's plan is risky, it also has a huge payoff if we succeed."

Fate narrowed the map area shown somewhat, showing several installations and troop positions on the map. "Certainly, we have everything available at the very least," she pointed out in her quiet manner. "If nothing else, we could work up a proposal to present to the rest of the staff. It's not as if we're the only group thinking up battle plans," she reminded them.

The general finally acquiesced. "Alright. I'll go along with this plan. What did you have in mind exactly, Colonel Yagami?"

90 minutes later, the group of officers had reassembled in the main briefing room, sitting with their respective strategy teams. The senior Ground Forces general stood again, moving to the front of the room where the large tactical monitor was. Here, the groups would present their plans to the rest for criticism and tweaking. At the end, it was hoped, they'd have a plan to take on the Arcadian attackers.

Hayate waited through the presentations anxiously, trying her best to pay attention to what the other officers had come up with. Most of them were variations on the theme of slowly wearing down the Arcadian forces, or else launching a quick, massive strike directly into the heart of their formation. In Hayate's opinion, both ideas were flawed, being either too cautious or too aggressive. Finally, it came time for her group to present their strategy. They were one of the last groups to speak, and she could sense the officers, despite their understanding of the gravity of the situation, were getting bored, especially seeing as how there were essentially only two plans being put forth right now. Hayate suppressed the urge to grin, knowing what she was about to propose would wake them up again.

As Hayate detailed her plan to slowly draw in the Arcadian forces for a trap, the assembly became slightly restless. Once or twice, she saw an officer wanting to interrupt her briefing with a question or protest, but hold themselves back. Trying to ignore the mounting tension in the room, which was of course all her fault, Hayate concentrated on what she was telling the others. When she was finally finished, a rather uncomfortable quiet settled over the room for a moment.

"Colonel Yagami," began one general, clearly struggling to control his emotions, "respectfully, are you out of your damn mind?"

The senior Ground Forces general waved a hand at him, quieting him down. "Please mind yourself, general." He turned to stare at Hayate. "That's quite a bold plan you're proposing Colonel."

Hayate nodded. "I'm aware it's not exactly a conservative battle plan, sir, however, I think to chain ourselves to caution may be the worst possible move, sir. As I said, it's highly likely the Arcadian objective is to do as much damage as possible, which is exactly what would happen if we simply tried to wear them out. It's true they'd eventually be beaten, but our own casualties would be tremendous. We have to force a decisive engagement, but it can't be one they can avoid, or else they will."

The thin general, who had been one of the most vocally aggressive men from earlier, stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I'll admit it has merit, Colonel… Certainly if it were successful, it'd end the conflict quickly. But it also has the potential to blow up in our faces." Before Hayate could respond he held up a hand. "I know what you're going to say, Colonel. What you have the beginnings of a good plan, though, not a complete one." He turned to the senior Ground general. "I believe that if we can work in a contingency for a defensive engagement, provided it doesn't appear the enemy is taking the bait, we may well have our overall strategy. It's going to take a number of carefully orchestrated maneuvers, but I think it can be done."

The air forces general who worked with Hayate nodded. "The maneuvers are going to be the difficult part. We need to open up a small window of attack, while apparently reacting to the Arcadian movements. And we're going to have to be very subtle. Their commander has shown already he's a very dangerous tactician. It'll be hard to fool him."

A rumbling sentiment of agreement filled the room. The discussion continued on for another several minutes as each officer gave their view and chimed in with suggestions. By the end, there was clear consensus in favor of Hayate's idea, and so the general staff settled themselves in to hammer out the details.

**Arcadian Command Post, 4 days later…**

Andrew Darkstar stared hard at the large monitor on the wall of the command center. Over the past three days, the Arcadian forces had been launching raids on the TSAB lines, stinging them here and there, trying to drive them around to open up the possibility for a major attack. However, something about the TSAB responses was bothering Andrew.

As he replayed the troops movements, trying to discern any sort of pattern, General Goren slowly approached him. As the young commander rewound and then advanced the recordings over and over, the general tried to see if he could find what the man he trained was looking for. But whatever it was, it seemed to have eluded them both.

"You've been staring at these for hours now, Commander," Goren commented. "If you haven't found what you're looking for by now, you probably won't. Either that, or you need to take a break before studying it again. You won't do anyone any good by burning yourself out like this."

Andrew sighed and finally turned away from the monitor. "I understand that, sir. But I just don't understand. The TSAB has been completely reactionary, moving forces around in response to our attacks, only launching a few small raids of their own to push us back from territory we've seized here and there, but there seems to be no sense to it. What are they defending? The power station here, that's obvious, and the Command and Control Center over here, that's a clear one, too, but they aren't even defending those as heavily as you'd think."

Goren frowned, thinking back to the troops movements he'd seen. "I suppose that's true. We've stretched them out on a wide front, however, and they're also trying to keep a large force intact in an attempt to engage us in a decisive battle."

Andrew nodded slowly, glancing back at the map, frozen in place. "That's true. Something just doesn't feel right… You'd expect that they'd either come at us, or sit back and let us expend ourselves. But this… No, they're up to something. I just have to figure out what."

Goren suppressed a sigh. When Andrew set his mind about something, there was no dissuading him. Goren had learned that a long time ago. In some people, it would seem complete bullheaded stubbornness, but with Andrew… Goren had never known his instincts to be wrong. The man seemed almost prescient sometimes in his ability to discern tiny details and determine what the other side was thinking. "Alright, Commander. You're the one in charge of the tactical operation, after all. I'll leave this up to you." He turned to leave, but looked back as he stepped out. "But do try and get some rest. You're useless if you're too tired to think straight."

Andrew smiled wanly at his mentor. "I'll do that, sir. Good night."

Alone again, he blew out a slow breath, and gave the monitor one last look. _The generals are underestimating the TSAB, just as the TSAB has underestimated us. That is a fatal mistake. While their firepower is their biggest advantage, it doesn't mean that's their only strength. They're up to something… I know it_.

Takamachi residence, the next morning…

Curious as to who would be calling on her, Nanoha poked her head outside the front door. Still not back on active duty, she wore civilian clothes, hair knotted in its usual fashion. Standing on the front step was Fate, looking a little apprehensive.

"Oh, Fate-chan. Come on in," said Nanoha warmly, waving the blonde woman inside.

Fate was in her service uniform, and as Nanoha looked closer, she could see Fate hadn't been sleeping much lately. Her normally expressive eyes seemed a little cloudy, and there was a slight lethargy to her movements.

The two old friends sat down at the kitchen table, neither saying anything for a moment. Fate spoke first after peering at Nanoha appraisingly. "How are you feeling, Nanoha?"

Nanoha smiled, rolling her shoulders a bit. "I'm doing good. I feel good enough to go back on duty, in any case, but the doctors are holding me out for another few days, just to make sure."

Fate's lips turned upwards slightly in a knowing smile. Despite her worry, it lifted her spirits a bit to see Nanoha feeling well again after her battle. "Well, hopefully by then, it'll all be over," Fate commented. Nanoha perked up a bit at that statement, and motioned for Fate to continue. "We're getting close now. A big engagement's going to happen in the next couple days. Hayate and everyone have been working really hard to keep the Arcadians on their toes and draw them in. With any luck, we'll catch them in a trap."

Nanoha nodded slowly. She expected it'd have to be something like that. The Arcadians wouldn't be foolish enough to allow themselves to fight a decisive battle unless a target was too good to pass up. Well, Commander Darkstar certainly wasn't foolish enough anyways. If anything, her appreciation for his tactics had increased in the following weeks as she looked over the battle reports.

"Are you going to be on the front lines for that, Fate-chan?" Nanoha asked pointedly.

Fate nodded. "That's right. I'm going to be in charge of the main force."

Nanoha said nothing for a long moment, looking out the window in deep thought. Then she turned back to Fate. "Then you'll have to be careful. Most likely, you'll have to fight Andrew Darkstar."

Fate tightened her hands into balls for a moment, then relaxed. "I know. Don't worry, I'll be very careful. We know he's dangerous, and I won't take any chances."

Nanoha leaned her chin against her hands. "Yes, but… He's very strong. More than that, he's extremely clever. Don't hesitate, go full power from the start, and take nothing for granted. He's that sort of opponent."

Fate frowned slightly, but nodded. "I understand." She checked her watched and sighed. "I'm sorry, I have to get going. I wish I could stay longer, but…"

Nanoha shook her head. "No, I understand. It has to be really busy at headquarters right now."

Fate stood, nodding slowly and headed for the door. As she stepped out, she turned back to look at her friend, face hardening with determination. "Don't worry, Nanoha. I promise I'll beat Andrew Darkstar and come home safely."

Nanoha smiled encouragingly at her friend as the two waved in parting. Watching the sun that was rising towards its peak, she blew out a breath. "I hope," she murmured softly, "that it's all over soon… And we can go back to our lives…"


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: Upon reflection, I should have mentioned this in Chapter 1, as well--I may see if I can edit that to reflect this--but there is a LOT of background information on the characters, settings, and other stuff that is not within the main story, as its only laterally related, and humongous chunks of exposition would detract from the pace of the story. I mention some of this apocrypha in notes at the end of chapters, but others may not make it in if I don't think it's important enough. If this were a real novel instead of just for fun, I'd probably add more exposition and an appendix or two, but as I said, this story is just for fun, so you'll have to settle for my small explanations._

_severstal: Neither of them really know exactly what the other is capable of--and Andrew especially doesn't want to play all his cards until he has to, since his job is to defeat all of the aces... One advantage he has right now is he knows more about how they fight than they do about him. And as for him letting her go... It comes up later, but he's actually a very conflicted person. He lets Nanoha go because he's able to justify killing people who are still resisting to himself, but he can't justify killing someone who's no longer a threat, even if they might come back later--you might notice, he was willing to let the last TSAB guy who attacked him go, until the guy said he'd keep fighting no matter what. As for the Arcadian decision to fight... Again, later, you hear more about them not seeing any other choice. They want to be independent, and they're getting pretty desperate about it. The Arcadian Combined Forces is their military, but they've spent years building up forces in secret, which is why they don't have a substantial navy (it's harder to hide ships). They're counting on the TSAB to be practical enough to not bombard their own world, and though it hasn't been mentioned yet (sorry to sound like a broken record, but it comes up later) they left a lot of defenses, half their manpower, and almost all of their fleet back on Arcadia. They don't plan on being on Mid for more than a week. Also, Orussia is a planet that's had a planet-spanning civil war going on, and there are only about 3000 Arcadian troops on Mid at the moment (more come later). The TSAB, btw, doesn't have the sort of manpower we would think as being big--this is one of the reasons why Chrono was pushing Nanoha and Fate to join up after the first series. Also, they're not used to actually fighting a war, they have more experience with police actions and such. Plus, don't forget that they have the rest of the planet to keep in order, as well as everywhere else trouble might be brewing. Is it still a little contrived? Probably a bit, I'll grant that. Thanks for your input and candor. I hope my explanations helped a bit._

**Arcadian Command Post, that night…**

General Goren stepped into the main command and control room, finding the already assembled multitude of commanders waiting for him. Every senior officer was present, and Commander Darkstar stood at the front, before a large map depicting the primary operational area.

Andrew nodded at the general as he took his seat. "General. People, analysis of the recent enemy movements has revealed an opportunity. The time for a major offensive operation is at hand," the young man declared with his usual bluntness, as ever striking directly into the heart of the matter.

There was a subtle stirring amongst the gathered officers. Goren couldn't blame them; all he had been told was to assemble for a briefing immediately and that Commander Darkstar had a plan of action. He didn't think anyone had expected this. A major offensive operation meant that they'd finally found a target that could seriously damage the TSAB—and more importantly, that they could successfully destroy it.

General Lagan sat up beside Goren. "An opportunity? You've located a gap in their defenses, then?" He frowned disapprovingly. "If you'd seen something in your analysis, Commander, the senior commanders should have been informed."

"All due respect, General, it was my impression that I had been given full command of the tactical planning here. You ordered me to find a way to defeat the TSAB forces by any means at my disposal, and I have found it. If you wish to be appraised of all of my actions in the future, I will do so if you wish," replied Andrew, managing to keep his annoyance out of his voice.

Goren suppressed a sigh. He could understand his protégé's feelings somewhat. Andrew had trained the men, planned every aspect of this attack, and didn't appreciate others looking over his shoulder and poking at his strategies. He especially didn't like General Lagan doing the criticizing, as the men were very much in opposition over how to conduct this attack. Lagan favored all out total war, doing as much damage as possible to targets of opportunity, while Andrew favored surgical strikes at high value targets. Still, Lagan was the superior officer of the two, and had certain privileges. "Though no doubt you had the best intentions in mind, Commander, in the future, please remember that we are in charge of overall strategy. Now that we are all here, however, let us hear your plan," Goren told Andrew, giving him a quiet look of reprimand. _Don't antagonize Lagan_, his eyes said quietly.

Andrew nodded slowly, turning back to the board. "The TSAB has arrayed their forces in a particular manner, which has left them vulnerable. A coordinated strike, carefully planned and managed, can catch them off guard and throw their entire defense on this front into chaos. I promise you all, they won't even know what hit them."

As Andrew detailed the operation, finally Lagan was nodding his approval. "That's quite a bold plan, Commander. In one stroke, we can cripple them."

Goren stood as well. "True, but I would like to remind you all of the risk involved. If this plan fails, we may be forced to abandon the entire operation."

Andrew nodded slowly, before fixing the two with his dark eyes, cold fire burning behind them. The room fell into silence as he faced them, steely determination written on every inch of his body. "Then we won't fail, General. Arcadia will be free. If I have to fight the entire planet myself, I will liberate our world."

**TSAB forward command area, 18 hours later…**

The tension in the air hung like thick fog over the troops congregated. Fate tried not to frown. Just as it was difficult for the troops to contain their anxiety, knowing that the major battle they were expecting could come at any moment, it was difficult for Fate to calm them down, knowing that the strain placed on them by constant alert status would only chip the razor edge they were already on. She had to admit; even her nerves were becoming slightly frayed from the combination of the constant threat of Arcadian attack and trying to keep the troops focused.

Sighing to herself, Fate shook her head as if to clear her thoughts and walked into the tactical center. Inside, the staff officers were collating all the incoming data from the troops in the field, watching for signs of the attack they were anticipating. Fate noticed that Hayate was already uplinked from TSAB HQ several hundred miles away.

"Has there been any change?" Fate asked the intelligence officers.

One of them shook his head. "Not in the overall state of affairs, no. They've been reinforcing their flanks in the past 10 hours, and they've also reinforced along Phase Line Foxtrot, but we haven't seen the buildup you'd expect in preparation for a major attack."

Fate looked over the map herself briefly before turning to the video link with Hayate. "Over two days now, and still they haven't moved. Is it possible they aren't going to take the bait?" she asked, a slight edge of anxiety creeping into her voice.

Hayate frowned slightly, looking over some reports on her desk for a moment before answering. "I suppose I cannot discount that possibility. It seems unlikely, though. They need a big victory if they're going to gain any sort of traction. I think it's more likely that they're being cautious. Even if we've managed to conceal our trap, they'd still realize a broken operation in this situation could destroy them. They won't attack recklessly, regardless of the necessity of a victory."

Fate looked away. It was true that Hayate's reasoning was sound but… "Hayate," she began hesitantly, disliking to be critical to a friend and superior officer in the hearing of others, "it's just that… This constant alert, it's grating on the troops. Rather than raising our readiness, at this point, it's eroding it. If they don't attack soon…"

Hayate stared at Fate for a long moment, before nodding. "I understand your situation. If the attack doesn't occur in 24 hours, we'll have to go to our contingency plan for the time being."

They both knew what that meant. A long slog, the war turning into a conflict of attrition, which they'd assuredly win… But which also promised heavy casualties for the TSAB as well. Much as it might seem counter-intuitive, they both desperately wanted this engagement to happen. It would be a difficult battle, but in the long run, it was the best they could hope for.

Back on her side, Hayate looked at the map she had displayed on her wall. "Why aren't you moving?" she whispered, staring at the bright points indicating troop positions. She had observed every motion of this plan, and everything had so far gone as well as could be expected. The gap was there, if one looked for it. It was present, but not so obvious as to alert suspicions. The Arcadian commander _had_ to see it. So why…

She sighed to herself. Unless he _had_ seen it, and therefore wouldn't spring the trap. That was another possibility. But if so, wouldn't there be activity in other sectors? The Arcadians had to attack, to end this within a week or so, before forces could be launched against their own homeworld.

All at once, alarms started blaring. One adjutant looked up from his monitor, looking Fate's way. "Colonel! We've just lost contact with Recon Squad 4!"

As Fate looked up at the screen, checking that squad's location, other reports started coming in of massive troop movements, units pulling out of contact, others blasting through, but all of them heading for one point. Fate's eyes narrowed; Squad Four was directly between the main Arcadian base and the CCC site which she was trying to lure them to.

"They're finally moving," Hayate murmured on the monitor, having apparently seen the same information Fate had. So they had been fooled after all; of course, their commander was simply being cautious. The troop movements bore it out; a hugely organized and carefully orchestrated attack, funneling all their resources to hit the target. They hadn't been waiting, they had been preparing. But so had Hayate.

Fate looked over at her close friend and nodded slowly. "Don't worry, Hayate, the plan will work for sure." Hayate nodded in return and with that, Fate rushed out the door to meet up with the troops who would confront the Arcadians and close the trap behind them.

**Forward Command and Control Center, one hour later…**

Andrew Darkstar, swathed in his jet black armor, flew at the head of a huge force of Arcadian air and ground troops. Much of their manpower on-world was concentrated here, leaving their command post dangerously exposed, but they had no choice. In order to win this war, they had to make bold moves. Though the plan was risky, and General Lagan had argued against the danger Andrew was placing them in, in the end he had agreed that while not ideal, it was necessary to accomplish their aims.

Within sight of the facility, he held up and signaled for the transports to begin debarking their passengers. Strictly speaking, it would be easier to strike if they landed on the immediate perimeter of the target, however, it would also leave them highly vulnerable to any defenses the TSAB had placed here. Better to engage them now rather than risk a large part of his force being shot down without a chance to fight at all.

As he looked over the troop deployments, one of his lieutenants flew up next to him. "Commander, our men are in position, awaiting your command."

Andrew didn't look at him, turning his attention towards the CCC site, just over a kilometer away. "What about enemy disposition?"

The lieutenant shook his head. "There are a few troops dug in here, like we expected, but it seems most of the garrison has been sent to the front lines, like we expected. The TSAB forces are mobilizing, though. They'll be pulling back to try and cut us off soon."

Andrew nodded. "Alright. Let's move out. Keep the troops in formation. We have to do this without error or we'll all be sitting ducks."

The man nodded and flew down. Within moments, the advance had begun in earnest. By Andrew's calculations, the TSAB lines would take nearly an hour to pull into a cohesive formation to launch a counter-attack. They had to destroy the targets before then, or their force could be surrounded and destroyed.

As the lead elements of the attack group broke into the clear just beyond the facility, however, a massive group of new contacts came swarming from the surrounding area. Aerial mages, escorting TSAB dropships, which immediately began spewing their loads of ground troops. As Andrew watched, a TSAB force surrounded the CCC site, with large bodies of skirmishers fanning out on the flanks.

Fate hovered with the lead column, directing the deployments. "Don't get caught too far on the extremities. We don't want our forces to get divided and chipped away." She glanced at the assembled Arcadian troops, which had momentarily halted their advance. "They may try to break contact and pull out instead of fighting," she warned her adjutants. "If that happens, we have to press the attack and inflict as many casualties as possible."

She zeroed in on the man in black, Andrew Darkstar, who had shot down Nanoha. He would be the one giving the orders. For the moment, she settled in to see what his next move would be. As her visual scanners resolved, however, she saw he was smiling.

"What is he up to?" she muttered. Her forces outnumbered his, and they were deep behind the TSAB lines. What possible reason could he…

Andrew turned to his lieutenant. "Contact the support unit. Activate the teleportation field, just as we planned."

The man nodded, smiling grimly. "As you command, sir."

Within moments, the bright light of a huge teleport field blazed through the Arcadian formation. Fate's eyes widened in horror. "It can't be… They're doing a teleport now… But that's impossible, to do one that wide-scale this fast…" She examined the magic sigils closely. "A pre-sighted area? But how? Unless…" The stark realization sent a chill through her body. "He anticipated the trap!" She turned to her troops. Her only chance was to hit them right now. The teleport would make them vulnerable for a few seconds. If she could do enough damage… "General attack! Pick your targets and fire!"

A few of the more forward units and the aerial mages got a volley off, but the damage was minimal before the majority of the Arcadian forces winked out. Left behind was a smaller force which had apparently not left the ridgeline during the main force's advance to draw out the TSAB forces, and which was now at least minimally dug in. Fate grit her teeth in frustration. Not only had Andrew Darkstar apparently anticipated that this was a trap, he had completely played them, leaving this force to tie them up while the main force went… where?

Fate hurriedly contacted Hayate back at the command center in Cranagan. "Hayate, we have a problem."

"We're seeing it," Hayate responded, the strain evident in her voice. "We're searching for their teleport location right now." A moment later, Hayate's voice returned. "It's bad, Fate-chan. The Arcadian force has teleported to the South Reach power station, and are attacking in force. There's a small security detail there, but…"

Fate nodded, face grim. "But they'll be quickly overwhelmed." Fate glanced at the forces arrayed below her. She had to act fast. If the power station was destroyed, it would severely hamper the entire left flank, and leave the area crippled. Fate looked at Hayate's face in her monitor. "Hayate, I'll have the troops here engage the Arcadian forces set up on the ridge. We need to chip away as much of their strength as we can. In the meantime, I'll take the aerial forces and the faster transports and try to get to South Reach in time."

Hayate pursed her lips, considering the plan, but finally nodded. "Alright. I'll try and whistle up some reinforcements if I can, but we're stretched pretty thin in the area already. Unfortunately, our lines have been ordered to hold position. The General Staff is spooked pretty bad right now."

Fate suppressed a frown. Andrew Darkstar's bold actions hadn't just given him a chance for a big victory here; he'd completely seized the initiative. If the General Staff was afraid to move, he'd be able to attack with impunity. "Don't worry, Hayate," Fate reassured her old friend. "I'll make sure things don't go the way they're planning."

Not speaking of the ironic echo of those words, Hayate simply nodded as Fate cut the connection and raced towards South Reach, desperate to halt the Arcadian attack.

**South Reach power station, 25 minutes later…**

Andrew Darkstar hovered over a scene of destruction, face impassive. The defenders of the power station had given a valiant fight but had ultimately been destroyed by the overwhelming Arcadian superiority. As the troops finished their mop-up work, Andrew flew down to the demolitions specialists. "The facility has been cleared. Place the charges and get back into position," he told them before glancing off at the horizon. "They're coming…"

One lieutenant followed his gaze. "An intercept force? Should we…"

Andrew shook his head, cutting off the man's apprehensive query. "Don't worry about it. This was one of the possibilities I considered. Stick to the plan, and you won't have anything to worry about."

Still, the lieutenant was unsettled. "Sir, I don't mean to question your judgment, but… It's an awful risk you're taking."

Still Andrew refused to face him, only staring into the bright Mid-Childa sky. "War cannot be won without risk, lieutenant. Focus on doing your duty, and be assured that's all any of us can truly do." _This is all we've got left… If I can't win, we're all dead anyways._

The other man stared at his commander for a long moment, then finally saluted and returned to formation. As the sappers also headed back to the gaggle of troops assembled below, the streaking forms of the aerial mages led by Fate Testarossa blazed in on the horizon.

Fate spotted the Arcadian troops in a cluster near the power station, which, remarkably, appeared to be intact. As she examined the surrounding area, however, she saw that the light defenses were a smoking ruin. "They must be planning on using explosives," she told the mages with her. "Once we make contact, a group will have to enter the facility and stop the demolitions crew." _Unless they've already completed their work_, she thought bitterly. If that were the case, then their priority would be the lone man who hovered in the air before them. Andrew Darkstar had been at the crux of every victory the Arcadians had had so far. If they could take him out, it would change the entire texture of the conflict.

As they approached the Arcadian forces, Fate signaled for the TSAB mages to fan out, leaving her to hover directly in front of Andrew Darkstar. She knew that dueling him alone would be a dangerous, difficult fight, but none of the other mages here were above AA rank; they wouldn't have any chance of even slowing down an S+ like him. The man in black stared right back at her, hazel eyes reflecting nothing, before glancing down at his troops.

"Captain Brighton, you know what to do," he said, voice low but commanding. The officer he had addressed nodded slowly, then keyed in some sort of command.

As Andrew Darkstar turned to face Fate once more, before her horrified eyes, for the second time today, the flash of a teleportation spell lit up the sky. An instant later, the multitude of Arcadian troops, save Andrew Darkstar alone, had vanished from her sight.

Eyes boring like lasers into Fate's, the man almost casually pressed a control on a holographic display next to him, and the power station exploded in an incredible conflagration. Only seconds after the initial fireball, the entire facility had been consumed. During that entire time, Andrew's eyes did not leave Fate's for an instant.

Closing down the holograph, Andrew addressed her in his quietly dangerous manner. "My forces have teleported back to the CCC site," he informed her, without a hint of smugness or superiority. Perhaps none was needed, Fate thought. It was clear who was the victor in that matter. "As I see it, you have few options, none of them particularly palatable. Should you fail to reinforce your troops there, who are now outnumbered and face with fresh troops, the CCC site will also be destroyed, in addition to this power station. Return there, however, and I escape, and your coming here will have been for nothing. It's time to decide, Enforcer Testarossa Harlaown."

Fate's eyes narrowed. It was almost insulting how politely he referred to her. She tried to calm her fraying nerves and consider her situation. Despite the fact that he was her enemy, his assessment of the situation was entirely correct; she was between a rock and a hard place. Clenching her hands around her intelligent device, Bardiche, she knew that her only choice was to counteract his audacity with a bold move of her own.

Without turning to look at her subordinates, she told them, "All of you, head back to the CCC site as quickly as you can."

Hesitating, one of them asked, "But ma'am, what about you? What about him?"

Letting her grim determination fill her, Fate answered bluntly, "I'll deal with him alone; the rest of you would only get in the way." When they still didn't move, she added, louder this time, "Go!"

As the TSAB forces finally responded to her directions, Fate found herself alone, facing the dangerous opponent who had defeated even Nanoha, as smoke roiled into the sky around them from the burning power station. "Let's go, Bardiche," she murmured.

"Get set," replied the unflappable device.

"Plasma Lancer! Fire!" cried Fate, filling the air with her deadly electric daggers. Firing the projectiles to cover her advance, she sped towards Andrew, knowing he'd have the advantage at this range. At short distances, she'd certainly be the superior.

Instead of dodging or intercepting the shots, however, Andrew only leveled his own weapon. "Solare Flare. Execute."

His blast bore straight in at Fate, forcing her to take evasive action and slipping to the side. As she recovered, she spotted him above her, having deflected her projectiles his own shot didn't disperse, and readying another attack. "Cosmic Blast, Hurricane Burst."

His directed attacked lanced out, its projectiles dancing in a swirl around Fate. She fired off her own projectiles to intercept them, and gave another burst of speed to try and close in on Andrew.

"Shooting Star, Nova Strike Mode."

"Nova Strike Mode, engaged," responded his device in its efficient, feminine tones.

Fate ground to a halt. That was his more powerful form. She had to put him on the defensive, now. "Bardiche!"

"Get set."

A burst of electric energy formed at Fate's fingertips. The two combatants brought their attacks to bear almost simultaneously. "Plasma Smasher!"

"Solar Flare!"

The incandescent beams crashed into each others, hers golden, his cerulean. For a moment, the contest appeared even. However, as Fate watched, her own beam began to be pushed back. Gritting her teeth, she applied more energy, and a concussive blast rocked the battlefield as the beams exploded upon each other.

Not bothering to locate him again, Fate sped towards his previous location. As she pierced the smoke, she saw she had indeed closed in on him, as he danced away below her. Locking her weapon into its Zanber form, she swung a mighty blow at the man.

Sensing the attack, Andrew blocked with a barrier. Despite that, he was knocked off balance by the weight behind the blow, and saw Fate charging in, pressing her advantage. Bringing up his own weapon, he barely intercepted her next blow.

Locked against each other, Fate's crimson eyes glistened with hard determination, as she strained to force him down so she could deliver another heavy blow. For his part, Andrew marveled at the prodigious power her lean body was producing. Just like Nanoha, he mused, this woman was everything the stories said. Focusing briefly, knowing he'd have only one chance, he summoned a single projectile into being. If he failed in this maneuver, she'd have him. "Cosmic Blast Arrow Shot."

Fate's eyes widened, and she dodged, narrowly avoiding the bullet that had been aimed at her exposed flank, having been summoned inside her barriers. Even if it had been only one, against just her barrier jacket, it could have done serious damage. This man's skill and power couldn't be overstated; though the attack didn't hit, it forced her to dodge. That sort of precision in a critical situation like that was nearly inhuman.

As he fired another blast at her, she sheathed her body in magic, accelerating her movements. "Sonic Move!" intoned Bardiche as she vanished from his firing line.

Appearing near his side, she swiped at him with her Zanber, cracking his barriers as he just shifted away in time, firing another few bolts in her direction. As she dodged his attack, he used his own fast move magic to open the distance on her again.

Fate didn't bother pursuing, instead firing another wave of golden projectiles at him. As he evaded and intercepted her attacks, she closed in with another Sonic Move, raking his side with another attack. His barriers crackled as a tear appeared on his barrier jacket as he again barely kicked away.

As Fate made to deliver another blow, her body suddenly felt heavy. Glancing about quickly, she discovered she was within a binding field, targeted about the whole area.

"Gravity Hold."

Fate scowled to herself as the momentary slowing allowed Andrew Darkstar to escape one more time. But right now, she had the advantage. Her speed was slowly corralling him.

The man in black summoned another wave of blue projectiles, and Fate twisted about the sky, desperately avoiding his attacks. He had a lot of power, and his wide scale bolts made it tough. Spotting him as she avoided another bolt, she spotted him hovering nearby, having apparently circled around while she was dodging, trying to line up a kill shot. This was her chance.

"Sonic Move!"

Moving above him and setting her weapon back in device mode, she unleashed her Haken Saber energy slash, forcing him back on the defensive. Charging back in, she locked her Zanber back in and aimed another attack. But suddenly, she felt her body slow again. _The binding field from before! It's still here!_ As she brought down her blade, slowed by the bind, he was an instant faster.

"Comet Pierce!"

The fast, charging shot caught Fate off guard, but she was just able to block, the binding field having slowed him down a fraction, too. However, she quickly realized Andrew had made a critical error. Their weapons were locked in against each other once more, and he couldn't use his energy beams fast enough at this range.

As she readied her next attack however, his eyes, which had previously shone only cold resolve, softened for just an instant, reflecting a deep sadness. "It's over, Enforcer. Comet Breaker."

Too late, Fate realized she had been the one trapped. He had planned this move all along. As Bardiche responded to her mental orders, preparing for another quick move, she knew it would be too late. The blast from his weapon, slower but stronger than his Comet Pierce, washed over her, and the world faded to darkness.

Andrew watched as Fate slowly dropped from the sky, unconscious. Even at that range, his attack hadn't completely destroyed her barriers, adding on to the fact that her own device had caught some of the blast. He had been lucky; a clean counter like that against an opponent that strong was difficult to achieve. Truth be told, it was her own speed that did her in; an instant slower, and she could've avoided the first hit, and he'd likely be the one crashing down right now. A fight like this was totally different from the one against Captain Takamachi, where every move inched you closer to a win. Here, with every move you balanced yourself on a thin edge between life and death; one wrong move and it'd be over in an instant.

As he watched her, he suddenly found himself wondering who would miss her if she died, who cared about her, who her family was. _What am I doing here…?_ Slowly pointing his device at the falling blonde, he murmured, "Gravity Hold."

His bind spell slowed her fall even further, and her body gently touched the ground on the edges of the burning power station. Relief workers would arrive soon, he judged, and they'd see that she was cared for. Looking at the fallen woman one last time, he turned to go, whispering softly, despite there being no one else around. "War is such a terrible endeavor."

As Andrew returned to the CCC site, the battle was still raging on, though the tide was slowly turning back against the Arcadian forces with the arrival of the aerial mages Fate had diverted. Despite that, in the time they had gone, severe damage had been done to the CCC facility itself, though not enough to really put it out of operation for any reasonable length of time.

Looking up, Captain Brighton glimpsed Andrew's approach through the haze of battle. "It's the Commander! It's Commander Darkstar!"

As the cheer went up across the Arcadian lines, pressing them harder into the fight, the TSAB mages looked on, stunned. If he was here, then it could only mean that the legendary Enforcer Fate Testarossa Harlaown had failed. It seemed incomprehensible to them that not only Nanoha Takamachi, but also Fate Testarossa, could possibly fall. Just who was this man?

Andrew flew down to hover beside Brighton. Glancing across the battlefield, he fired off a projectile attack before turning to his lieutenant. "Captain, prepare to fall back. More TSAB reinforcements will be here shortly, and our casualties are already reaching the maximum allowable for this mission."

Brighton glanced sidelong at him, noting the status of the CCC site. "But sir, we haven't yet crippled the CCC facility. Shouldn't we…?"

Andrew shook his head. "I'll take care of it. A retreat by the numbers, if you please. There's no need to expose our backs to the TSAB. We've won this round."

Brighton nodded. "As you say, sir." Flying back down, he began an orderly retreat of the Arcadian forces.

As Andrew watched, he saw the TSAB try to press them on their retreat, hoping to inflict more casualties. Hefting his weapon, he flew down to the center of the battle. As he hovered before them, he could almost feel the tense hesitation in the TSAB mages, reluctant to confront him directly.

"Cosmic Blast, Tempest Burst." As his device flashed, a veritable wall of magic projectiles began appearing. The TSAB forces barely had time to disperse before the hundreds of shots cascaded upon them. As the TSAB mages scattered like dust on the wind, Andrew took aim at the CCC facility before him.

"Let's go, Shooting Star," he murmured.

"Satellite Stars," it confirmed, detaching the rear fins, which hovered beside Andrew, having been transformed into backup emitters.

Magic power began focusing at all three emitters as Andrew zeroed in on his target. "Solar Cross Break. Execute."

At his command, the three beams converged, and coalesced into a tremendous attack, lancing towards the facility. It touched the outer walls, only for an instant, before bursting with a light that seemed to outshine even the sun. When the intense light faded, the forward section of the building had crumbled, and most of the exterior was cracked and burned.

With one final look across the field, Andrew lowered his weapon and flew away, silently hoping that the terrible carnage he had wrought this day need not be repeated.

_Author's Note: And now, I'm sure, the screams are getting even wilder. Yes, how dare he not only beat Nanoha, but defeat Hayate's plan and beat Fate all at once? OK, I'll admit, the battle against Fate didn't work out as well as I had hoped. On a later pass for some parts later, I added a couple lines that I hoped explained this battle better, as well as some more parts to the battle itself, and I think it ended up working out OK, though I'm still dissatisfied with it. I was also having trouble with her character throughout this story. I'm so sorry, Feito-chan, I adore you, I promise. __Also, had Fate gotten a chance to use Sonic Form, she'd have won, maybe 6 or 7 times out of 10; Andrew's not fast enough to counter Sonic Form very effectively. Further, while his plan seems super complicated, it's actually not; his line of thinking is "If it's a trap, I'm prepared, yeah we might lose some guys, but we catch them out and blow up the power plant. If it's not, then we say, whatever and blow up the CCC site." What made his plan nasty were the multiple contingencies he had worked up, though it's interesting to note that if Fate had beaten Andrew, they would have been slaughtered, even though the power plant would be gone._


	5. Chapter 5

**TSAB Medical Facility, Cranagan…**

Nanoha burst into the waiting area, out of breath, face pale despite her exertions. Standing idly, her face a stony mask, was Signum, who had been Fate's friend and subordinate during their time with Mobile Section Six and one of Hayate's Wolkenritter. Beside her stood Vita, the fiery Belkan Knight whom Nanoha had sponsored into the Instructor Corps, also one of Hayate's personal guard. Sitting on a bench, and flanked by her final two guards, Shamal and Zafira, in his wolf form, was Hayate, her face a smeared mess, eyes red and swollen. Nanoha rushed over, kneeling next to Hayate, who embraced her, trembling terribly.

"It's all my fault," choked out Hayate. "It was my plan, and I even asked Fate to be the field commander, and now…"

Nanoha shook her head, gripping Hayate's shoulders firmly. "You can't blame yourself, Hayate-chan. Fate-chan knew the risks, just like the rest of us. You can't predict what's going to happen in these situations," she told her friend softly.

"But… It's not only that… All those men and women… They died because my plan failed…" Hayate sobbed.

Signum laid a gentle hand on Hayate's shoulder. "There was no way you could known they'd do this. To pull off such a maneuver… There was nothing anyone could have done."

Gripping her friends' hands gratefully, Hayate slowly began to compose herself, wiping away her tears. "Maybe… Even so… I still feel guilty." She glanced over at the door to Fate's room. "Fate-chan will be alright in a few days; she wasn't even hurt as bad as you were, Nanoha-chan… But Andrew Darkstar… At every turn his strength confronts us… I don't know what to do anymore."

"We'll think of something," Nanoha assured her, with more confidence than she truly felt. "No one is infallible."

Signum nodded. "Beyond that, we inflicted heavy casualties on the Arcadian forces during the battle. Even if they ended up winning, they can't afford too many victories like that. In the end, our numerical superiority will be a decisive advantage."

Nanoha gave Hayate a smile and one last hug. "That's right. There are still battles to be fought, and we're going to need you, Hayate-chan. If things didn't work out this time, we just have to work harder and do better next time." She glanced over at the door again. "I had better go in and check on Fate-chan. Will you be alright for now, Hayate-chan?"

Hayate nodded, a little ashamed now of her emotional outburst. "Yeah, I'll be fine. And thanks."

With a last pat on the shoulder, Nanoha stood, and walked over to Fate's door, trying not to be too brisk. She quietly stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

The windows were shaded, and it was dim. As Nanoha's eyes adjusted, she saw Fate lying in bed, apparently asleep. There weren't any noticeable injuries, no blemishes upon her smooth, pale skin. Her chest rose and fell at a normal pace, and the only medical equipment in the room was for standard monitoring. Silently, Nanoha breathed a sigh of relief. The injuries really must have been as minor as she had been told, if Fate was in an ordinary ward, with no obvious signs of trauma.

Despite her feelings of reprieve, she found herself wondering just why it was that neither she nor Fate had been seriously hurt against Andrew Darkstar. To be sure, they were both exceptionally strong, but both had been defeated, by a man who showed no hesitation to kill. So why were the two of them still alive and even relatively unharmed. Fate especially; she had been in a solo duel against him with nobody else around, and yet he hadn't finished her off.

Frowning, Nanoha shook her head, trying to clear them of such macabre thoughts. Still, it bothered her, and she'd have to get Fate's accounting of her fight with Andrew Darkstar. If nothing else, they needed more information on how he fought, so they could try and come up with a strategy to defeat him. Nanoha was sure, now more than ever that beating Andrew Darkstar would be the key to stopping the Arcadian forces. It was just as Hayate had said; everywhere his strength confronted them. If they couldn't overcome him directly, winning would be difficult… and bloody.

**Arcadian Command Post…**

Andrew Darkstar sat staring at the tactical monitor. Over the past 14 hours, the frontlines had moved forward several kilometers, and the entire left flank had swept over South Reach. An incredible victory, against a superior enemy… And yet his mind was unsettled. Body as well, as he winced slightly at the score along his side where Fate Harlaown had gotten him. Another few inches, and the blow might have been fatal.

A sound at the door interrupted his brooding as Generals Goren and Lagan entered. His old mentor gave him a respectful nod before standing off to the side. General Lagan, on the other hand, strode forward, a feral grin upon his face.

"Commander, you've done even better than we could have hoped. Both targets destroyed, and that Testarossa woman defeated as well, and the TSAB forces pushed back kilometers. I'll admit I had my doubts when you said you'd personally take care of their vaunted aces, but… You certainly have proven your words. This is a tremendous victory, and a stepping stone for future triumphs."

Andrew didn't respond for a long moment, not taking his eyes away from the screen. "It's true, General," he began in his low manner, "that we won both a tactical and strategic victory. However, we can't get too far ahead of ourselves. Our forces suffered significant casualties, casualties which we can't maintain. The TSAB can bring the full might of the Administrated Worlds against us; we have only our one planet, with a small force trained in secrecy, and most of those, including almost our entire fleet bottled up there trying to prevent another devastating attack. What's more, the TSA Council is likely to tighten up their naval presence over Mid and blockade any reinforcement attempts in light of our success. Even with Orussia flaring up, we've finally shown them the level of threat we pose. They won't be so hesitant next time."

Lagan slammed a palm down on the table. "Which is exactly why we need to start diversifying our target selection. Hitting only military targets exposes us to attrition, which as you just pointed out, we can't afford. Our next dropship is coming in today, and that's likely to be the last reinforcements we get unless we can somehow break the blockade." He stood between Andrew and the screen, forcing the younger man to look at him. "We have to attack civilian targets. Right now, if we start bombing South Reach we can completely destroy their will to fight. Even better, if they launch a counter-attack, we'll be dug in and waiting for them."

Andrew didn't respond, knowing there was nothing more to be said between them on that count. General Goren slowly stood, crossing over to his colleagues. "General Lagan does have a point, Commander." Andrew tried to conceal his surprise at hearing Goren support Lagan. Goren had always been behind Andrew's plans in this war, up until now. "You know better than any of us how necessary a quick resolution is. A bombing campaign will force them to hit us, before they're ready."

Andrew stood himself, looking the two older men in the eye. "Is that really what we want, to be remembered as murderers?"

Lagan's face flushed as he scowled at Andrew. "And what about the millions of dead on Arcadia? Are we to forget them, forget what the TSAB did to our world?"

"Do you think I of all people could possibly forget?" snarled Andrew, surprising the other men. He had never spoke to his superiors, even if he disagreed with them, with such vehemence before. The terrible crime committed against them, in the name of peace, was not something that could be forgotten, but he wasn't about to allow those sorts of emotions get in the way of fighting this battle. A single mistake, and they could end up destroying themselves. "I remember, General. We all lost family in the war, we all know the casualty figures."

Goren laid a hand on Andrew's shoulder, shooting Lagan a look, and the other man, grudgingly, backed down a bit. "We know, Commander. But look at this from a pure military perspective. This is where we are. We have to do what is necessary to secure Arcadia's independence. That is our duty as soldiers of Arcadia."

Expression dark and pensive, Andrew looked away. "I understand, General. But I do not believe it's come to that." _What happened was wrong, but I won't compound it by committing atrocities myself. _He turned to the monitor. "The TSAB is massing their forces here, behind the new defensive line. The loss of South Reach sends a terrible signal, and they'll want it back. We don't have to level the city. An attack will come within a week—from what we can tell, they're putting off a possible counter attack to concentrate on wiping us out here first. Better still, that means the attack will be ordered and orchestrated by the TSA Council rather than their General Staff, following the loss we incurred. It's just the right tone of fear, but without panic." _Panic will only lead us to suffer even more._

Lagan looked over the map, nodding thoughtfully. "Your assessment does make some sense, Commander. I assume you're taking the necessary steps?"

Andrew nodded, indicating the monitor. "We've shifted a great deal of our ground forces here, just outside South Reach. We need our aerial mages for reaction duty along the lines, just in case they try something else. If they attack further down the line, the forces we have at South Reach could quickly launch an attack in another sector. I'll be holding back our most elite squadrons, along with myself, until we know where the enemy is committing, but I doubt they'll expect such a conservative approach, not after our last engagement. They'll expect me to have to make another big move." He pointed back at the CCC site they had destroyed. "This trap they had planned was specifically designed for our strategy. Their military leadership knows we're trying to force a quick resolution."

Goren traced a line across the South Reach defenses. "And with most of our forces here, it makes it even more enticing for them to attack. If they can win, they'll destroy a large portion of our force and we'll have to pull back." He turned to Andrew. "As always with you, threads within threads." He shook his head, smiling grimly. "I don't know how you do it sometimes, Commander."

Lagan said nothing for a moment before giving a satisfied harrumph and stood. "Alright, Commander, we'll go with your plans for now; you haven't let us down so far. Our next wave of reinforcements will be landing shortly; I'm going to go get things organized logistically. I trust you and General Goren can handle the operations."

Goren watched his colleague go, then turned to the younger man. "Commander, how many times must I tell you not to antagonize the man? If you continue along this path, Lagan will try to have you removed."

Andrew scowled, setting his jaw before turning back to the map. "As long as I keep winning, Lagan's opinion won't matter. The Senate won't allow me to be removed while the victories continue."

Goren didn't respond. He knew all too well his pupil's stubborn bullheadedness when he thought he was right. Despite everything that had happened to his family and his world, however, the young man remained naïve about the opinions of the Senate and of many others in the Arcadian military. There were a lot of people pushing for unrestricted warfare, and Andrew's victories were the only reason such demands had not been approved by the Senate. If the situation at all changed, though… Goren worried what Andrew might do if he was ordered to destroy civilian targets and kill non-combatants. No matter what happened, Arcadia would need the last scion of the Darkstar line.

**TSAB Medical Facility, Cranagan, the following day…**

Nanoha quietly stepped into Fate's hospital room, finding the quiet blonde woman sitting up, watching a news broadcast of continuing developments in the war against the Arcadians. When she spotted the other woman enter, Fate's face broke into a gentle smile in greeting. "Nanoha… You really don't have to come every day. I'll be out of the hospital by this evening, and besides, I'm sure you're needed back at headquarters."

Nanoha shook her head. "It isn't a bother, Fate-chan. And to be honest, I'm being held out of the fighting for the time being," she admitted, wan smile on her face. "The higher-ups are afraid of a deep strike, so they're keeping several aerial squadrons back in reserve, including mine."

Fate frowned. "Then you're not heading back out to the front lines? I thought… Hayate said the council had ordered an immediate counter-strike against South Reach."

Nanoha's face scrunched into a slight frown at that comment as she sat in the chair next to Fate's bed. "Yes, well… The leadership is running scared, to be honest. I'm not sure how much Hayate-chan told you, but the General Staff is being overridden at the moment. They wanted to adopt a more conservative strategy after the losses we suffered the other day, but the politicians are afraid of appearing weak. More than that, they're afraid of other worlds being emboldened by the Arcadian rebellion."

Fate bit her lip pensively. "Orussia?" she guessed.

Nanoha pursed her lips, then nodded. "Yes. Things are getting worse there by the day. Some of our peacekeepers have been attacked openly, and a convoy was attacked; they're not sure who it was this time, and we're even getting word that they're seeing offshoots of Scaglietti's drones taking the field, too—once someone knows it's possible, they'll try to duplicate it," she remarked tiredly. "If things don't settle down soon, it'll be all the Navigational Forces can do to just keep things under control, to say nothing of trying to impose another cease-fire, even with the Arcadian attack here. Anyway, we'll just have to hope the attack succeeds." Nanoha leaned forward suddenly, examining her close friend with a practiced eye. "What about Andrew Darkstar? I'm sorry to ask, but…"

Fate looked away for a moment, a little ashamed of her failure. "To be honest… He didn't fight quite the same way he did against you. I saw the video, read your report… It was more of a straight-out fight than against you… When you fought him, it was completely a battle of maneuver, searching for an opening. With me, he met my attacks head on and overpowered me… though he did outmaneuver me in the end before countering my attack," she noted sorely, irritated at herself for being caught out like that.

Nanoha frowned at Fate's account of the engagement. "That is odd. While it's true your opponent will often-times dictate the way you carry out your maneuvers, to fight in such a opposing way is… strange. You'd have to have a lot of skill in every area to do that, but that's really tough to do."

Fate nodded. "In a battle like this, you'd want to make an opponent fight within your area of expertise… But he doesn't seem to be doing that, not the way you'd expect."

Nanoha made another frustrated noise before finally relenting. "Alright… Well, I don't want to take up all your time with this kind of business." She stood, giving Fate one last smile. "I have to get back to headquarters for a bit, but I'll come back when you're ready to be discharged, alright?"

The two old friends gripped each other's hands for a brief moment, feeling strengthened by the warm feelings that had always flowed between them. Despite the losses, despite all the difficulties so far, neither of them doubted there was nothing they couldn't handle when they stood together, as they had so many times in the past. Fate smiled. "I'll be waiting."

**Arcadian Command Post…**

Andrew Darkstar looked over the latest TO&E that had been prepared by the staff. Another 400 troops, mostly ground forces, had been debarked by the last group of transports before they beat a hasty exit to avoid the tightening TSAB blockade. Fortunately, it appeared orbital bombardment wasn't an option for them, seeing as how the majority of the Arcadian troops, along with the command center, were now in more urban areas, not all of which had been fully evacuated, on top of not wanting to go after their own world in that fashion.

Andrew would almost have liked to send all the civilians out of the war zone, but he realized that General Lagan wouldn't permit it, wanting human shields to prevent a large scale bombing of the area, and because it simply wasn't feasible. They barely had enough troops to enforce martial law, to say nothing of forcing the residents out, which admittedly would be a one time affair, but would incur more casualties than simply keeping a rein on the populace. This was especially true in light of Andrew's efforts to see that the civilians were not mistreated during the occupation, which even General Lagan had admitted had kept incidents to a minimum.

With the additional troops, they could firm up the lines, but Andrew was leery of launching any more large offensive operations unless the risks were minimal. A high risk, high reward operation like the last one would be too costly given their current status. With more and more TSAB troops being activated or called back to Mid every day, they'd soon face an enemy with overwhelming numerical superiority, and the war would be over.

As he leaned back with a soft sigh, he contemplated the fights which he knew would be forthcoming before the war ended. Even after his triumph over Nanoha Takamachi, Fate Testarossa had still underestimated him somewhat. True, he had been a little bit lucky as well, but he couldn't count on that sort of thing to crop up again. 90 years ago, the TSAB had assembled a strike team specifically to kill his great-grandfather Shrike Darkstar. If they did the same thing to fight him, he certainly didn't think he'd end up any differently than his ancestor—beating Fate Harlaown had been tough enough, though if he'd used his Overdrive, he supposed it wouldn't have been so close. If that happened… he didn't know whether the Arcadian forces would be able to win or not. Certainly, if he put them in a good enough position, even if he died, they could still be victorious, but if it happened before the endgame, things would become difficult. He was the only S rank mage or higher the Arcadians could field at the moment, the only AAA or higher one even, and if they had to face the TSAB aces without him, they'd be at a decisive disadvantage.

So lost in his thoughts was he that he didn't notice General Goren enter the room. "Commander?" The younger man started slightly before standing to face his superior.

"General? What can I do for you, sir?"

Goren glanced at the monitor. "We're starting to get reports of TSAB movement outside of South Reach. The staff is assembling and they're on the way right now. It looks like you were right; they're going to counterattack."

As Andrew turned to look, points indicating enemy formations began popping onto the screen as the integrated information systems caught up with the units in the field. There was no doubt about it; enemy troops were assembling to hit South Reach in force. The attack would likely come in only a few hours.

Andrew turned back to Goren as staff began streaming into the command center to man the positions left empty by the smattering of personnel keeping constant watch. The young commander's face had dropped into the dark, hard-edged visage that had become so familiar to Goren. "Then we'd better get to work."

**TSAB Medical Facility, Cranagan…**

Nanoha had just stepped into Fate's room when the screen Fate had on switched suddenly to a broadcast from somewhere just outside of South Reach. Blinking with surprise, Nanoha stood next to Fate's bed, where the blonde woman was propped up and fully dressed sitting atop the covers.

"They've started already?" inquired Nanoha.

Fate nodded. "It certainly seems that way. How did that news crew get so close to the front lines I wonder?" Nanoha could only respond with a shake of her head. It wasn't that she was concerned about people getting information about the war; it was dangerous to be that close to a live battle.

"We're coming to you 5 miles outside of the city of South Reach, which was taken only 2 days ago by Arcadian air and ground forces. Less than half an hour ago, a major TSAB strike was launched against the defenses here, and as you can tell even from here, the fighting is intense, with hundreds of combatants on either side."

At that moment, Nanoha's wristband started beeping and Hayate's face appeared on a small holographic screen before the two. "Nanoha-chan… Oh, and Fate-chan, too! Sorry, I didn't realize you were at the hospital," Hayate apologized.

Nanoha shook her head. "No, it's alright, Hayate-chan."

"Nanoha was just picking me up. I'm about to check out," put in Fate.

Hayate nodded slowly. "I see. Alright, well then, I'll make it quick. Nanoha-chan, you're wanted back at headquarters to help us evaluate and direct the engagement. Fate-chan, if you're up to it, why don't you come along, too?"

Fate slid off the bed and walked around the other side, standing next to Nanoha. "Yeah, that's fine."

"OK, then. We're on our way, Hayate-chan," affirmed Nanoha.

With a last nod, their friend shut down the link. The two gave one last glance at the monitor before shutting it off and walking out.

**Arcadian Command Post…**

The command post was now a flurry of activity as Goren, Lagan, and Andrew coordinated the movements of their defenders against the TSAB forces. They were severely outnumbered, and with the brevity of the pause between the previous attack and the TSAB counter, there had been precious little time to prepare defenses outside South Reach. Still, the Arcadians were acquitting themselves well, and the overall organization of the TSAB forces seemed haphazard at best.

"Tactically, they have several units making excellent moves," commented Andrew, looking at the main monitor. "But there's no overall unit cohesion. Movements made by one squad have little bearing on what the formations around them are doing. I suppose it's possible there's a bizarre structure we haven't pinpointed yet…"

Lagan shook his head. "I have to believe that between our commanders here and the tactical computers, we'd have picked up something. No, Commander, you're right. It's absolute chaos."

Andrew frowned, not from any disagreement with Lagan. No, it was only that he found it disconcerting that the TSAB would be so confused in its response. He had expected a certain level of disarray to be sure, knowing that the attack would have been ordered for political purposes and not military prudence. Even so, he would have expected at least some organization. Had he miscalculated the level of fear running through the TSA Council? "At this rate," he murmured lowly, "they'll continue to charge straight at our strong points, and we'll cut them apart. They may be able to move us on sheer weight of numbers, but…"

The young commander's mind churned, and he looked over at the large monitor displaying the overall strategic view of the front lines. "General," he began, turning to Lagan, "with your permission, I'd like to release our response force on an attack assignment."

Lagan frowned at the younger man. "We have them where we want them, Commander. Like you said, they're coming right into our kill box. Why move out?"

Andrew shook his head, pointing to the right flank of the Arcadian lines. "Most of the line is lightly defended at the moment. Enough to keep us bottled up, but not enough to stop a concerted attack. If we send our entire response force, 5 squadrons of aerial mages, we can roll across the coastal region, maybe all the way to Port Brenner on the Waking Sea."

Goren leaned over as Lagan considered Andrew's words. "The Commander does have a point," Goren commented. "But what happens if we need the response force at South Reach?"

Lagan turned back to Andrew. "That's true. We can't risk the entire sector just for this, Commander."

"That's why I'll go," he asserted firmly. "I'll go to South Reach to ensure our forces hold, while the rest of the force goes to the Waking Sea."

Lagan rubbed his chin. "Very well," he relented finally. "But just in case, I had better take a command squad in a transport and take command of that sector personally."

Andrew didn't respond. He could see what Lagan was trying to do here. He had grown somewhat tired of Andrew's unmitigated success, and wanted some of the glory himself. The man was an old hand, and this was the only action he'd ever see. He wanted to come home a hero, have a parade held in his honor, have a statue in the Grand Plaza, even, right next to Shrike Darkstar's and Kyle Garringhold's. Andrew could care less. He wasn't interested in being a hero, just in freeing their people.

"Alright, General, that's fair," Goren commented, also not fooled; Lagan, after all, was an operations officer while Goren was the aerial mage commander. Still, he didn't mind handing over some of the glory to Lagan if the man wanted it so badly. He turned back to Andrew. "You had better get moving, Commander. Don't worry, I can handle coordination from here."

The other two nodded and headed out of the command post, splitting just after stepping outside. Andrew turned to his silvery bracelet. "Alright, Shooting Star, set up."

"Prepared to engage. Barrier Jacket: Guardian Mode," reported his intelligent device, Andrew opting for the heavier defenses of his Guardian Mode. He probably wouldn't need the added mobility of Assault Mode in this sort of engagement.

Arcing into the sky, Andrew headed for the front line some 40 miles distant at top speed, hoping nothing untoward happened in the few minutes it'd take him to reach the battle.


	6. Chapter 6

**8th Aerial Wing Headquarters, Cranagan…**

Nanoha and Fate stepped into a flurry of activity. There were over two dozen people in the command center bustling about while various lights flashed on the huge monitors arrayed about the room. Hayate, standing in the center around the primary tactical map, waved them over.

"It's a complete mess," Hayate told them without preamble. "Most of the units are from different commands, and they're not accepting orders from other squadron leaders. By the time we can recognize a tactical opportunity and get units to move in to try and exploit it, too much time has past and the opening is gone."

Nanoha studied the readings and gave a quick glance at activity reports before replying. "Are there any senior officers on the scene who could take over?"

Hayate shook her head. "No one more senior than a Captain. Signum and Vita are both there, and they're doing their best, but we've suffered heavy casualties."

Fate looked up from the documents she had been poring over. "It looks to me like these units are a mish-mash of whoever could assemble fastest, with no clear chain of command in place. No wonder the situation's so confused."

Nanoha frowned as another unit winked out of action. "It's completely a general attack, no plan at all." Curling her fingers into a fist, she had to resist the urge to slam her hand on the table. "No wonder things are so bad right now." Tracing a few lines, she looked up at the displays on the wall. "Our only chance is to pull back and reform for a coordinated effort. We'll never get through the Arcadian lines this way."

As she spoke, one of the controllers looked up from his station. "Colonel Yagami, we're forcing one of the Arcadian positions back in the left sector! Requesting orders!"

Hayate bit her lip. "Alright, this may be an opportunity. Signum, Vita." The two Knights appeared on holographic, the sights and sounds of battle surrounding them. "Take your squad and reinforce the central attack on the left. I need another squad to see if the can swing around and put pressure on the extremity."

Nanoha was already on it, calling up a nearby unit and attempting to harangue them into complying. Finally, their commander relented and it seemed as if they might have a chance. As the three watched the attack progress, Hayate could see the tension in Nanoha's shoulders, the auburn haired woman clearly itching to get back into the fight.

It seemed as if the attack might succeed in breaking through. The defenders were being pushed back, and the unit Nanoha had sent to the flank seemed poised to sweep them off and establish a strong point for the TSAB. That was when things fell to pieces.

"Colonel! We have civilians in the combat zone!" warned one of the controllers suddenly.

Hayate whipped around, staring at the screens in shock. "What? What are they doing there?"

"Their building must have been bracketed by some of our attacks and they tried to flee," Nanoha replied after a moment, homing in on the details despite the chill running down her spine. "Squadron 8, pull back, those aren't targets!"

But her message didn't get through. Before the horrified eyes of the command unit, flashes of incandescent light streamed towards the family attempting to flee. Hayate knew without looking that Signum and Vita wouldn't get there in time.

"No… How could this happen?" she moaned. _Another mistake… And this time civilians have paid for it._

"Wait… Colonel, look!"

As the smoke cleared away, the image resolved into a scene which screwed up the aces' faces in consternation and surprise. The family was unharmed; cowering in terror behind an electric blue shield conjured by a man dressed in a jet black long coat.

Nanoha stared in a strange kind of wonder at the man who had opposed them so strongly these past two weeks. Dazed by this new development, she could only breathe out his name. "Andrew Darkstar."

**South Reach…**

Grimly maintaining the shield which had protected the group from certain death, Andrew Darkstar turned his head slightly to look over the family hunkered down beneath the cerulean canopy. "Is everyone alright?"

Trembling, the father nodded. "Yes, we're… We're OK… But why…"

Andrew shook his head once sharply. "There's no time for questions. Private," he continued, turning to one of his troopers, "I need you to see these people back to a safe zone."

"Y-yessir," replied the soldier, snapping off a shaky salute.

As the private led the civilians away, Andrew turned a dark gaze to the TSAB forces which hovered nearby, staring at him. "You should be more careful when you fire your spells," he admonished coldly, before blasting them with an electric blue beam.

As their formation scattered, two other mages dropped into the airspace, deflecting the projectiles Andrew had sent after the others. "We'll handle this," the taller one told the others. "But don't think your ill-considered actions here will be forgotten."

The two drifted apart, hefting their weapons, a sword and hammer, respectively. "I don't know why you did that, Andrew Darkstar, but whatever your reasons, you have my thanks for protecting them," commented the tall, sword-wielding one, while the short hammer user only harrumphed grouchily.

Not letting his guard down for an instant as he floated up to meet them, Andrew gripped his own weapon tightly. "You seem to have me at a disadvantage, Miss…?"

"1st Lieutenant Signum, Blazing General of the Wolkenritter," replied Signum with the courtesy of a knight to a respected adversary.

"2nd Lieutenant Vita, Iron Hammer Knight of the Wolkenritter," put in Vita, perpetual grumpiness not lifting an inch.

A small, amused smile tugged at the corner of Andrew's face. "Commander Andrew Darkstar." He paused as Shooting Star switched his barrier jacket to Assault Mode and his device closed down into a more streamlined look, energy blade sprouting from the front and giving it the appearance of a spear, while the smile became almost predatory. "Some call me the Black Reaper."

Face not changing, Signum linked up telepathically with Vita. _I'll confront him head on. You take his back. Remember, this is a man who defeated both Testarossa and Takamachi. We take him down together, no mistakes._

Vita nodded imperceptibly. _Right__. Be careful Signum, since Agito's with everyone else right now._

Instantly, and putting thoughts of her currently absent partner out of her mind, Signum charged, her sword flashing, forcing Andrew to defend. At the same moment, Vita circled around, charging up her hammer for a barrier crushing attack. However, Andrew quickly parried Signum's blow, launching a counter that knocked her off balance. This woman was a bit more of a finesse fighter than Fate Harlaown had been… If that was the case, he could definitely hold her off… If so…Simultaneously, he fired a few bolts in Vita's direction, forcing the small knight to dodge.

When the crimson coated warrior recovered, she saw that Signum and Andrew were engaged in a vicious melee, their weapons arcing about with a blinding flash. For a moment, Vita stood astonished. She'd never seen anyone stand up to Signum directly with such powerful swordplay… Fate was overpowering, but this was skill. Shaking herself, she moved back in. Signum was counting on her to take Andrew's back while she kept him busy. They'd take out the man in black, and avenge their friends.

As Vita made her attack, Andrew parried away another blow from Signum, then surprised her with a hard kick to the midsection, sending her flying away. Turning quickly, he knocked Vita back with another attack, before attacking her with a charge. Vita was able to turn aside his blow, but suddenly found his palm pressed against her stomach.

"Parallel Lock," he intoned coldly, and a binding field appeared about her midsection.

Quickly kicking away, Vita slapped at the bind field, apparently shattering it, but found herself staring into the face of dozens of projectiles.

"Cosmic Blast, Hurricane Burst. Lock and pursue." As soon as he uttered those words, however, they were followed by a grunt as Signum crashed against his barriers, nearly knocking him off his feet.

The bolts were immediately off, chasing Vita as she went through a series of twists and turns, desperately trying to avoid the small bolts. She knocked down a few here and there, but the rest kept coming, more than she could possibly deal with. _Signum, something's wrong, it's like they're tracking in on me!_

Signum shook her head as she recovered and reengaged Andrew in their vicious duel, just missing a disabling stab against his legs. _Impossible_, she thought back, gritting her teeth. _No one can control that many projectiles at once, not while fighting me like this._

As Andrew's battle with Signum wore on, each parrying a storm of blows and spells from the other, he spared an instant's glance at Vita, nearly taking a hit from Signum doing so. He couldn't keep this up for too much longer; several nicks and cuts covered his barrier jacket now, and while none were as close as the blow Fate has landed on him, Signum was pressing him to his limit, and it wouldn't be long before she slipped through his defenses. The evasions she had been going through had carried her a distance away from the intense melee. Making his decision right there, knowing this would be his only chance, he subtly flicked his fingers, and the projectiles pursuing Vita broke off their mad chase.

Signum straightened. _This is our chance, Vita._ She moved in to press the advantage while Vita did an abrupt about face, however, Andrew, having precipitated this very move, swept her attack and pointed the tip of his spear-like device straight at Signum. Eyes widening in surprise, Signum managed to leap back to avoid that lethal looking point.

"Too slow. Comet Pierce." The flash of light from his attack caught Signum full on, who was just barely able to defend. As she regained her composure, however, she saw that Vita had still managed to make her attack, but her massive hammer was being held off by Andrew's barriers.

"Pierce through it, Graf Eisen!" shouted the diminutive warrior.

"I won't give you that chance," growled Andrew. "Barrier Purge." The explosive force of his barrier releasing its internal power blew Vita backwards and prevented Signum from closing.

As Vita recovered, she suddenly found herself surrounded by dozens of projectiles. _No way… he couldn't have summoned all of these in that instant._ As that thought ran through her, she suddenly spotted it. A tattoo of light on her midsection where he had touched her. _No way… A targeting lock? Then these are the same ones from earlier…_

Staring hard at Vita, Andrew closed his fist and the projectiles crushed inward on her in a titanic explosion. Pointing at Signum with his device, he intoned, "Solar Flare."

Signum was just able to react in time. "Lævateinn, Hiryu Issen!"

Their blows clashed in a blast of heat and energy, filling the air around them with smoke. Coughing, Signum managed to right herself and keep her defenses up. However, Andrew Darkstar hadn't moved, a large magic sigil charging under his feet. Vita, who somehow was still clinging to consciousness, was being supported by one of the other aerial mages, many of whom had broken off their attack to surround the powerful combatants, hoping to close in and overwhelm Andrew after his exhaustive battle with Signum and Vita.

"Lieutenant, are you alright?" asked one near her.

Signum didn't dare take her attention off Andrew Darkstar. What was he doing? Suddenly, it struck her. "All of you, clear out now!" she shouted. If he could get off a wide area spell, he could finish off Vita and wipe out two whole squadrons in one blow.

"It's too late," Andrew told her coolly, raising his device. "Galaxy."

Stabbing his device through the sigil, there seemed to be a low rumble as a massive ball of magical power accumulated around him. All at once, the cerulean globe exploded outwards, a tidal wave of energy washing over Signum and the others. As the blast struck her, she thought she saw stars and a twisting formation resembling a spiral galaxy.

Gasping and barely able to hold off the attack, Signum glanced about quickly, trying to assess the situation. Vita, along with the other aerial mages around them, were falling from the sky, completely out of the fight. She couldn't tell whether Vita was alive or dead; she couldn't worry about it now. If she didn't concentrate, she could very well end up dead in another minute herself.

Once again, the two leveled their weapons at each other. Signum could tell that last attack had taken a great deal of energy. He was beginning to tire. If she could somehow hang on, she might be able to win. Snapping her weapon into its cruel whip-like form, she readied herself. The next minute would be brutal.

"Hiryu Issen!"

"Starfire Break!"

The two fired their next attacks simultaneously. However, Signum was already moving, clearing the explosive radius. Jamming together her sword and sheathe, she prepared her next attack. _Throw him off balance, then I can close back in._

As her weapon completed its transformation into bow form, she took aim. Just as Andrew spotted her again, Signum fired. "Sturm Falke!"

The supersonic bolt of energy blazed in at the man in black, enveloping him in a huge detonation before he could evade. Panting with exertion, Signum disassembled her bow back into her standard weapons, lining up one last shot. Suddenly, she felt a crushing weight enveloping her, almost forcing her down. Casting a quick glance about, she found that she was being pulled in by a small black globe a few meters behind and below her. The force it was exerting was incredible, and she was having to expend a great deal of energy just to maintain her position.

"What is that?" she murmured, aiming a blow at it.

"Singularity."

Turning back upwards, she saw the smoke clear. Andrew Darkstar's barriers crackled, but held. It was hard to tell which of them was in worse shape, Signum mused as he dropped his defenses, noting that his barrier jacket was looking ragged, and his right sleeve was missing, blood dripping down his arm. As she watched, his spear transformed back into its staff form, and the rear of his device detached, splitting into two small emitters. "Shooting Star, Satellite Stars, execute."

Without sparing a glance back, she slashed through the area bind, immediately releasing the gravity wave that had been holding her. She had no choice but to go full power and hope that her strongest attack was enough. At this distance, he could shoot her down if she tried to evade and close. "Lævateinn!"

Charging up her sword with cartridges, she readied her best shot. If this attack wasn't enough, there was nothing else she could do. _There's no doubt… This man is the strongest I've ever faced. I don't know if I can win, but… I'll not show my back to the enemy._

"Shooting Star, Solar Cross Break, execute!"

"Karyu Issen!"

Signum's enormous, fiery blast erupted, racing for the man in black. In return, the two emitters fired smaller blue beams, meeting in the center with the larger one from the main device. Where they converged, the final beam erupted, far larger than any Signum had seen before from this man. As their attacks met, Signum's amber energy was wiped away by the pulsing azure ray fired by Andrew.

Gaping at the power behind that blast, Signum threw up her defenses, not knowing whether they'd hold, but knowing it was her only chance. The beam slammed into her with a crushing impact, and the world went dark.

Andrew watched as Signum slowly fell to earth, her descent slowed by her device's safety systems. He wasn't sure if she was completely unconscious or just stunned. Even considering the fact that she and Vita had teamed up on him, the tall, strong knight had given him the toughest fight of his life. Her melee abilities were exceptional; he hadn't been sure he could tough it out in a long close-range battle with her while he maneuvered to take out Vita. The duel with Fate Testarossa Harlaown had allowed him to leverage his superior shooting magic, but this had been more of a brawl.

He clenched as fist around his device, returning the weapon to ordinary Nova Strike and gazed across the ravaged field. Their aces down, and two squadrons blasted by his Galaxy spell, the TSAB was in retreat. He breathed a sigh of relief at the sight; his battle had been so grueling, he hadn't had an opportunity to check the progress of the rest of the fight and hadn't known whether the Arcadian troops were winning or losing.

After watching Signum for another long moment, he drifted down to the central defense perimeter. The lines had taken a beating, but had held. He saw, however, that casualties had again been rather higher than hoped for. The TSAB was going to whittle them away if something didn't change quickly. Hopefully they could force an end before that happened.

"Report, Captain," he ordered the most senior officer wearily. He had never felt so exhausted by a battle before, not even against Nanoha Takamachi. He wondered how much of the fatigue he felt was mental, and how much was physical, seeing as how he should still have plenty of magic power left, even after that engagement. As he teetered, he admonished himself. _Then again, you've lost quite a bit of blood, idiot... That Sturm Falke attack of hers nearly got you. Should have used Eclipse then... _He shook his head. His Overdrive was dangerous; using it left him completely drained, and it only lasted for five or so minutes. If there had still been enemy forces on the field, he would have been in trouble.

"We hold the field, sir. Casualties were… north of what we projected, but not by much." The man paused staring at Andrew with scarcely concealed awe. "Sir… That was a splendid display. I don't know that we could have held without you."

Andrew nodded slowly. _Are you kidding me? I almost died out there._ _Every time, these fights get harder... _"Not a problem, Captain. Get your men organized and get a full damage and casualty assessment ready for General Lagan and Goren. And if you don't mind, show me to the aid station before blood loss gets me."

The Captain nodded, apparently only now noticing the gash across his shoulder, and another cut on his leg where Signum had grazed him. "Private, see to the Commander."

As the trooper led him away, Andrew took one last look at the battlefield before shaking his head and staggering towards the local aid station. "Live on, Lieutenant Signum… And maybe we'll meet again in more peaceful times."

TSAB Command Center…

The silence in the air was palpable. Hayate leaned heavily against the table, half-supported by Fate. Nanoha meanwhile, only stared at the flickering images of the battle, of the man who it seemed now may be impossible to defeat. Certainly she could hear those whisperings starting to spread throughout the room.

"Beating Lieutenants Signum and Vita at once? What a monster." "There's no way. How can anyone beat a person who could do that?" "It doesn't seem possible… I wouldn't have believed it…"

Intellectually, it was easy to understand that nobody was impossible to defeat. No matter how strong, everyone had weaknesses. Barring that, anyone could be overwhelmed if you directed enough power at them. Still, knowing that and believing it were two different things. Nanoha had to admit, even she wasn't enthused about their chances. Certainly anyone who could fight Signum like that, to say nothing of beating Vita at the same time, could not be defeated simply. It was just as she thought; defeating Andrew Darkstar would be the same thing as winning the war. He was the single most powerful weapon the Arcadians had to throw against them. In the past week he had nearly single-handedly won two separate major engagements, and had beaten Fate, Vita, and Signum. Any strategy which had no answer for Andrew Darkstar wasn't a strategy worth considering.

"Signum… Vita…" Hayate whispered softly.

"Hayate, they're not…" Fate asked, alarmed.

Hayate shook her head slowly. "No… They're still alive. Vita… Vita's badly hurt." She straightened a little. "I should get to the hospital. They'll get there about the same time I could from here, I think."

Fate nodded. "I'll go with you."

A voice from the door interrupted her. "We can take care of it, if it's alright." It was Shamal, along with Reinforce Zwei and Zafira, the rest of Hayate's retinue. With them was Agito, who only fumed, cursing herself for not being there for Signum. Like Hayate, they would have sensed Vita and Signum's distress.

Fate looked at them, and nodded assent, shooing Hayate over into Shamal's arms. The kind, blonde doctor gave Hayate a reassuring hug, then led her off, door clicking closed behind her.

Fate glanced back at Nanoha who had watched the entire exchange silently. Walking back over to her friend, Fate began without preamble. "This is a disaster," she said quietly. "We've just thrown away several squadrons of aerial mages and nearly a battalion of ground troops for nothing but some enemy casualties. And losing Signum and Vita on top of that…"

Nanoha nodded slowly. "Vita-chan definitely took the worst of it… But I think Signum-san will be alright. The major problem is how do we deal with Andrew Darkstar?"

Fate frowned, a note of melancholy passing across her face. "I know. I never imagined at the beginning he'd be this strong, even after…" She didn't finish. It was difficult to address the losses they'd all suffered, now with Vita and Signum having fallen as well.

"Yes… Our best chance may be to somehow isolate him, but… I'm not sure how we could do that yet. I'm also concerned about morale. With the way things have gone the past few days, the troops' spirits are going to be badly hurt," Nanoha commented.

"I can't even imagine what they're telling the general populace," Fate remarked.

With a sigh, Nanoha told her, "They haven't said much… Too afraid people will find out what really happened, I guess."

Suddenly, one of the operators held up a hand, listening intently to his earpiece. "Wait. Repeat that." A frown on his face, he turned to Nanoha and Fate. "Captain Takamachi, we're getting reports of enemy activity on the left flank along the coast of the Waking Sea."

As Nanoha made her way over, alarms started blaring all over, with monitors suddenly showing action over what would otherwise be an idyllic sea-side town. Eyes widening in shock, Nanoha stared openly. "Isn't that…?"

Fate nodded grimly. "I think that's Port Brenner."

"Reports now coming in: enemy forces penetrated lines, and are now attacking Port Brenner. Much of the city has already been taken," confirmed the operator, managing not to choke on his words.

Suddenly a note of memory flashed through Nanoha's mind. Strength suddenly escaped her legs and she collapsed to the ground. "No…" she whispered.

Fate, face awash with sudden concern, dropped beside Nanoha. "Nanoha? What's wrong?"

"Vivio," whimpered Nanoha, voice trembling. "Her class was on a trip to Port Brenner today… It was supposed to be safe, a hundred miles behind the lines…"

Fate froze in horror. How right she was, she thought ironically as she tried to comfort her closest friend. This was a disaster.

_Author's Note: And now he's beaten pretty much everyone (apologies Shamal-sensei and Zafira, since this is your first appearance), though I'm sure readers will notice that Signum didn't have Agito with her. As to why Andrew is so powerful, it's about to be explained more in depth. And for those of you who haven't quit reading in disgust at my using what would probably be described as a broken character, the story is about to take some interesting turns. By the way, in case you didn't notice, he didn't actually fight Vita and Signum simultaneously; he managed to split them apart and beat them separately._


	7. Chapter 7

Andrew returned to the Arcadian command post several hours later, immediately after waking and being told of the situation in Port Brenner. Without heed for protocol, seething at what Lagan had done, he stormed into the command post where Goren and Lagan had gathered, along with other senior staff officers.

The door flew open and Andrew stared at Lagan, face hard, body trembling with barely contained fury. "All of you, out. Now," he ordered coldly, dismissing the other officers. There was a pregnant pause before the others decided avoidance was the better part of valor in this case and hurried out before their commander's anger could intensify.

Staring down Lagan, who refused to be cowed by his subordinate's vehemence, Andrew slowly stepped into the room, standing on the other side of the table from Lagan and Goren, the latter of whom watched the two warily. "General… With all due respect, what the hell are you doing?"

Lagan scowled at Andrew's mutinous tone. "Careful, Commander. You may not fall under directly in my chain of command, but I am still a General," he stated, threat implicit in his tone.

Ignoring Lagan's insinuations, Andrew continued on. "I just received a report indicating forces under your command are holding nearly 100 children who were taken at Port Brenner. So I'm just curious, when did we become kidnappers, General?" he asked sardonically.

Goren held up a hand to forestall a worsening of the rift between the two officers. "Commander, I understand what you're saying, and I assure you, the children are not hostages. They were caught up in the attack and have not been harmed. We're negotiating right now to have them escorted back across the lines by representatives from the Saint Church, who are neutral in this dispute, and who run the school the children are from."

Andrew stared hard at Goren for a long moment before nodding. The worst thing for the Arcadians right now would be for him and Lagan to be openly feuding. "Alright. I understand, General."

Lagan glanced at Goren, containing an angry glare, which Goren ignored. "Their representatives will be here within the hour. I'll make sure you're notified of their arrival, Commander, as I'm sure you'll want to be in the negotiations."

Before Andrew could respond, Lagan cut in. "Now, if you're done, Commander, could you call the staff back in? We have a war to run," he reminded the younger man, just keeping the sneer off his face.

Andrew didn't respond. He only stepped outside, ushered the staff back in, and disappeared.

The Saint Church representatives arrived three hours later, during which time Andrew had calmed himself down enough so that he didn't feel like blasting something out of existence in frustration. So it was that he was the Arcadian representative waiting as the transport landed. Andrew also suspected that Lagan was fearful of a possible TSAB attack from the craft and didn't want to be there.

Stepping off the ramp as the engines ran down were a young, attractive blonde woman with long hair wearing dark robes, along with two attendants, also female, with short dark hair.

The blonde woman fixed Andrew with her blue eyes and nodded politely. "Hello. I am Carim Gracia, leader of the Church Knights, and these are my aides, Sisters Schach Nouera and Otto."

Andrew instead of nodding, gave a short, respectful bow. "Commander Andrew Darkstar, Arcadian Combined Forces. Welcome to our lovely little camp, Knight Carim, Sisters."

Carim was taken aback somewhat by his courtesy but covered her surprise adroitly, only a flicker running across her face momentarily. "Yes, of course, Commander. I recognize you from the news reports. I'm surprised that you're the one meeting us."

Andrew didn't respond for a long moment. "I do whatever Arcadia requires of me," he finally answered. "This way, please."

He led them to a captured office building where they had commandeered a mostly intact conference room, though several chairs were missing, and the monitor was broken. Carim took a seat at one end, though the other two remained standing. At the other sat Goren and Lagan, though Andrew elected to take a seat in the middle of the table. Goren shot Andrew a warning look for his obvious disparity with the other officers before beginning.

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Knight Carim. I hope we can resolve this matter with equal brevity," commented Goren.

Carim nodded. "I share your hopes in this matter, General, and thank you for agreeing to meet with me. Before we begin, may I inquire as to where the children are being kept, and their condition?"

Before Goren could answer, Lagan cut in. "No, you may not. We have to assume that you may attempt to relay such information to the TSAB for a forceful extraction. Our security is the paramount concern."

"I can assure you they're fine, Knight Carim," Andrew told her, ignoring Lagan's glare. "Unfortunately, we do have real security concerns that prevent us from telling you their precise location. It's nothing against you personally nor the Saint Church in general; indeed, I'm sure many Arcadians," he continued, pointedly looking at Goren and Lagan, the latter of whom almost looked ready to spit acid, "recall how the Saint Church risked the TSA's ire by providing refugee aid to our planet following the bombardment 90 years ago."

Carim suppressed another flicker of surprise. This man wasn't quite what she had expected. At every turn he seemed to be overflowing with graciousness and sincerity; very much at odds with the ruthless soldier she had seen in the vids and read about in the reports. Moreover, he seemed to be in something of a dispute with his superiors over the handling of the current situation. Maybe she could use that to her advantage.

"I see," she responded. "I understand of course. You're fighting a war, after all. I will accept your personal assurance of their safety however, Commander, of course." Smiling at the men as Lagan struggled to contain his anger at Andrew co-opting him, she continued. "Now, as you are aware, I'm sure, the Saint Church has a degree of autonomy from the TSA. There is a Saint Church facility not far from Port Brenner, the area around which is currently not garrisoned by either TSAB or Arcadian forces. If the children could be transferred there, it would be a simple matter for us to take custody and return them to their parents."

"And what assurances would we have that our forces escorting any such group wouldn't come under attack on the way?" growled Lagan, speaking before Andrew would have a chance to.

"Surely you're not suggesting the TSAB would attack children, are you, General?" Carim replied, not realizing she had stumbled into a trap.

Lagan slammed his fist upon the table, startling the Saint Church women. "You're damn right I am!" he yelled. "90 years ago, the TSAB murdered 39 million Arcadian men, women, and yes, children! Our children's blood is on their hands, Knight Carim. We know damn well the TSAB wouldn't hesitate to slaughter millions of innocents if it gets them what they want!"

Carim recoiled slightly, stunned at the vehement display from the General. Looking over at the more moderate Goren, she saw only an impassive expression. Turning to Andrew, she saw his face was hardened as well. It seemed even he was unwilling to openly dispute Lagan on this point.

Lagan's emotions were too overwrought, Andrew thought, keeping himself impassive for the moment. While he certainly harbored anger at the TSAB for what had occurred, he wasn't about to hold those currently in power responsible, nor equate them with those who had been able to justify their actions back then. That didn't discount the possibility that it could happen again if things went south, but he was willing to believe that there were good people within the TSAB as well. Even with something like the Arcadian bombing, they had done a lot of good. Everyone had dark times in their history; after all, even the Arcadian cultural hero Kyle Garringhold had wiped out dissenters rather brutally. However, he knew there was no telling Lagan that right now, and doing so would only make it impossible for him to secure the children's release.

"I… See your point, General," she was forced to concede. "If I may ask, then, what measures would you deem appropriate?"

"Strictly speaking, Knight Carim," put in Goren, not wanting Lagan to continue on a tirade, "our best move should be to continue to hold the children in a rear area, to keep them away from the fighting, and release them once hostilities end."

"What he means is that from a political standpoint, it's much easier for us to negotiate a favorable end if we have the additional leverage of civilians in the battle zones," observed Andrew sardonically. "Still, we've agreed to release the children, so that's what we'll do. In this case, I believe that the children can be lifted out directly by Saint Church transport from Port Brenner. However," he continued, holding up a hand to forestall another outburst from Lagan, "the landing area, time, and route all will be designated by us and heavily artillery will be pre-sighted on the landing zone and entry route. At any sign of hostile activity or deviation from prescribed route by your transports and they'll be destroyed instantly. I'm afraid this is the only deal we're willing to make, Knight Carim. But it's not a bad deal. Don't screw with us and nothing untoward will happen," concluded Andrew almost impersonally.

Carim almost shivered at the cold calculation in his tone. Was his earlier earnestness all an act? No, she decided an instant later. He truly did want a happy ending to all of this, but at the same time he needed to appease his superiors and provide for security for his forces. Despite his desire to get the children safely away, he did have real security concerns, and survival concerns… he wasn't a man looking for revenge; being around an officer like Lagan would be difficult for him.

Carim nodded slowly. "Alright. I understand, Commander."

Goren stood, and the other Arcadian officers followed suit. "We'll have the information to you before you leave, Knight Carim. The Commander will show you out."

As they walked back towards the waiting transport, Andrew glanced back at the blonde woman. "I apologize for my callousness, Knight Carim, but you must understand, we do have to take precautions. It's nothing against you; we don't trust anybody. 'Constant paranoia' is our motto here in the Arcadian ranks." With that last comment, he favored her with an amused grin.

Cautiously smiling in return, she nodded. "No, I understand, Commander." She paused, lowering her voice. "Thank you for doing all you can for us. I appreciate it."

Andrew started, not realizing he had been so transparent. "It… It's no problem, ma'am." He waved to their transport. "If you'll wait here, I'll have the data for you shortly." With that, he turned away, disappearing into the command post.

"He's not quite what I expected," commented Schach lowly as soon as Andrew had gone inside.

"Quite," replied Carim. "It's difficult to balance his candor today with what we know of him from battle reports. The same man who admits to being called the Black Reaper, fighting viciously against Signum and the others, standing off against his superiors to release innocent children to our custody… Very interesting indeed."

Several minutes later, Andrew reappeared, data slate in hand, which he handed over to Carim. "All the details are here. If you need to speak with us, I've set up a link on this frequency; it'll only be good for the next 6 hours, but it's a direct line with the CP here."

Carim nodded her thanks, and boarded the transport, her aides following. A moment later, the ramp lifted, and the transport drifted upwards, speeding back out of the Arcadian controlled area.

Two hours later, Carim was personally assembling the transports which would carry out the schoolchildren when a familiar face approached her. Looking more tired than Carim had ever see her, Hayate Yagami stepped alongside Carim's transport.

"I heard you're going in yourself on the retrieval," commented Hayate.

Carim nodded. "That's right. You know you can't come along, Hayate; it would endanger everyone."

"I know," affirmed Hayate. "I just want to thank you for setting this up. Especially since… well, since Vivio-chan is one of the children out there."

Carim closed her eyes for a moment before fixing Hayate with her gaze. "I know." She looked off into the distance, towards the Arcadian CP over the horizon. "It's strange… I know I should be angry at him, Andrew Darkstar, especially since he shot down Signum and hurt Vita… But after meeting him, I just can't."

Hayate frowned. She certainly wouldn't have that problem; the man had shot down her two closest friends along with two of her knights. "What do you mean?"

Carim pursed her lips. "It's just… It was clear his superiors, especially the one called Lagan, were considering holding the children hostage, but Commander Darkstar was completely against it. The entire meeting he was posturing himself in a far more conciliatory position, even bordering on insubordination."

"Could it have just been a negotiating tactic?" Hayate wondered aloud.

Carim shook her head. "I don't think so… I just got the feeling that he was actually a very honest, principled person."

Hayate followed Carim's gaze. If nothing else, Carim was a good judge of character. It would unlike her to so completely misread someone. "I wonder…" She shook her head. It wouldn't help anything to dwell on it now. "You'd better get going, if you're going to make the rendezvous."

Carim nodded. "I'll bring them all back safely, Hayate, don't worry," she told the younger woman with a gentle smile. With that, the ramp rose, and the small group of transports took off for Port Brenner.

Carim couldn't deny her apprehension as the transports cruised past the Arcadian lines and into Port Brenner. While there was currently little to no activity on the front, Andrew Darkstar's warning about course deviation still worried her. She didn't doubt that General Lagan especially really wouldn't hesitate to shoot them all down if they did anything he didn't particularly like. The man wasn't just looking to free his people; he wanted revenge. She could see it in him as he lambasted the TSAB for its attack on Arcadia all those decades before. She could understand his bitterness and would have done the same thing her predecessors did in risking the ire of the TSA to bring in aid, but nothing could justify what Lagan clearly wanted to do; bomb out Mid-Childa cities in retaliation.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the transports landed in a large square in the middle of Port Brenner. Night was beginning to fall, and the dull orange light flickered off the Waking Sea in the distance. For a moment, nothing happened, and Carim braced herself for another disaster. But no shots came. After that visceral instant, the children came streaming out of a nearby building.

Carim quickly got on the link with the other transport captains. "I need a head count; make sure we aren't missing anybody," she instructed them.

The situation was confused, but in the end, they managed to confirm everyone's identities. All except one. Schach ran up to Carim from another transport, worry etched on every line of her face. "Mistress, we're missing someone: Vivio Takamachi."

Worry beginning to set in, Carim forced herself to calm down. "I'm sure it's just a mistake. Get another head count; I'll contact Commander Darkstar."

Schach nodded and ran off as Carim used the frequency Andrew had given her. However, when the holograph came to life, it was General Lagan on the other end. "Knight Carim. What can I do for you?" he asked roughly.

Carim hid her surprise. "General Lagan. I was trying to reach Commander Darkstar."

"He's currently unavailable," Lagan told her coolly. "What's the problem?"

"We… seem to be missing one child. It could be an oversight, but…" Carim's voice trailed off. Something was wrong. She didn't know how she knew, but she sensed something terribly wrong.

"Ah. Yes." Lagan's face twisted into an ugly expression and Carim suppressed a shiver that threatened to crawl across her spine. "You are referring to Vivio Takamachi, I take it. I regret to inform you that she won't be joining the others. We'll be keeping an eye on her for the time being." Regret was the furthest thing from Lagan's voice as he fixed a darkly gleaming eye on Carim.

Carim's blood froze. He couldn't possibly mean to keep her hostage, could he? She recalled her earlier discussions with the Arcadians… No, he certainly could. She wasn't sure now what the man wasn't capable of. "General, this is not what we agreed on."

"I am altering the deal. If you are unhappy, I can always have you and all the others vaporized," he told her frostily.

She didn't doubt he'd do it. In either case, she couldn't risk it, not even for Vivio. "I see," she bit out. "Very well, then. Good-bye, General." She closed down the link. "Schach… We're going."

Schach's face appeared on holographic looking startled. "What? But Vivio…"

Carim shook her head morosely. "We don't have a choice. Lagan's tricked us. He's holding Commander Darkstar out of contact as well, so he can't help us. We have to leave, or Lagan might attack. I'm sorry, Schach."

Schach's face hardened. "I… understand, Mistress."

As the transports rose, Carim stared out over the city. "Nanoha… Vivio… I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Arcadian Command Post…

Andrew Darkstar slowly laid his hands on the center table. He was alone inside the command post with Goren; even the controllers were gone. It was all he could do not to smash a fist through the flickering monitor. "Excuse me, sir… but what in the hell is the matter with you?!"

Goren didn't react to Andrew's insubordinate behavior. The two men had known each other for far too long for that to matter between the two of them like this, with no one else around. "General Lagan has a point here, Commander. Despite our victories so far, you've failed to permanently stop their aces. They're temporarily out of action, but should they return to the front lines, our position could become untenable."

"If they return to the front lines, I'll send them back to the hospital!" Andrew shouted, his normally impassive face now flushed with anger. "This is not how I want to fight this war!"

Goren clenched his jaw. "You need to be more realistic, Commander. Our duty is to free Arcadia, no matter what. If this is what we have to do, to ensure that Takamachi woman is a non-factor, then this is what we'll do. I don't have to remind you of the inhumane tactics employed by the TSAB against us."

Andrew fixed Goren with a hard stare, his hazel eyes cold enough to freeze helium. "Just because they attacked civilians, assassinated our leaders, doesn't mean we have to stoop to the same levels. Our duty is to Arcadia, but how can we buy our people's freedom like this? We are soldiers. Our actions are governed by a code of arms, and that is the only thing that separates a warrior from a barbarian. I will never approve of actions like this," he declared defiantly.

"You don't have a choice, Commander." Goren sighed, rubbing his forehead tiredly. "Commander, I don't think you realize, Lagan has far more support in the Senate than you think. If you step much further out of line, he'll turn everyone against you, despite what you've done. We have to do this. With her daughter held, Takamachi won't—"

Andrew cut him off with a vicious wave of his hand. "You know that's not true, General. We've all seen reports from the Battle of the Cradle. If anything, this will only send Captain Takamachi crashing through our front door." He narrowed his eyes. "This is a mistake."

Goren didn't respond for a long time. Finally he shook his head. "Maybe. But it's not your decision to make, Commander." Stepping across, he laid a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "We raised you—I trained you to be a weapon. Our weapon. It's our concern where you're pointed, Commander. Just do your duty." With that, Goren left, and Andrew was alone in the half light of the command post.

Staring at the flickering holographs, he thought of the training he had received. Goren was right; they had built him into a human weapon, their trump card for this singular purpose. That had been the role of the Darkstar family for over a century, as guardians of their world. It was all so simple standing in this room. Squadrons were mere lights, order them and they move, kill them and all they do is flicker out. Soldiers were resources; that was the face of war, the reality all commanders had to accept. That was what he had tried to convince himself of, for so many years; that only a cold, calculating, impersonal man could possibly fight this war well enough to bring victory for his people, that all of his human weaknesses would only doom them all.

He looked up at the main monitor, displaying Port Brenner. One of those flashing lights… one of them was a single solitary life. Not a soldier; a child. Millions had been massacred in the TSAB bombing, but that would never make it right. Commanders had committed sins, politicians had been unwilling to punish them for it, and his world had been caught in the middle. Even if this war seemed to be their only chance, their last chance… If he stood by now, he would never be able to face his parents' graves, knowing he had bought their freedom with the blood of innocents, knowing that he had truly become the very thing he loathed.

"Duty must be the bitterest pill of all," he muttered, straightening with purpose. "To hell with Lagan."

**Port Brenner detention facility…**

It was cold in the concrete basement that had been set up to house prisoners by the Arcadians. Few of the cells actually held people; most of the prisoners were being held in South Reach, were a greater concentration of Arcadian troops was able to watch them. The cell nearest the door, however, held a frightened, shivering girl with striking heterochromatic eyes. As she sat in the corner, not understanding why she had not been freed with the others, she could only wonder why her life had to be so cruel. All she had wanted was a normal, happy existence with her adopted mother and friends. So why was it being denied her again? What had she done to deserve this?

Suddenly, the guards snapped to attention as the door opened. "Commander! We weren't told to expect you, sir."

"This visit was unannounced," a low, stern voice told them.

Through the door stepped a tall, athletic man dressed in a long black coat. Vivio shivered when he turned his dark eyes upon her. He was frightening.

"Open the door," he told the others. "I want to speak with her."

The guards looked at each other a moment before shrugging. He was their senior officer after all, and what harm could there be? The heavy metal door swung open and the man in black slowly stepped into the room. Vivio backed away, trembling. The man stopped short, however, and dropped to a knee, staring her in the face.

"Hi," he said gently, surprising her. His face wasn't scary looking now. "My name's Andrew Darkstar. What's yours?"

"V-Vivio… Vivio Takamachi," she told him quietly.

"Hi Vivio." He smiled, more gently than she would have expected upon first seeing him. "How are you?"

"Cold," she admitted. "I want to go home."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah… I'll bet. Is somebody waiting for you there?"

She nodded, not cowering so much any more. "Nanoha-mama is waiting for me… She's probably worried."

He smiled softly. "Yeah… Mamas tend to do that." He inched a little closer, kneeling before her. "How about we get you home, then, alright? We don't want your mama to worry, do we?"

Vivio's eyes brightened a little. "Really? I can go home?"

Andrew nodded, holding out a hand. "Sure. I'll take you right now."

Cautiously, Vivio reached out her own hand. Taking hold of her, Andrew gently pulled her up. No, he wasn't nearly so scary as she thought. Patting her head once, he led her out of the cell. Outside, the guards looked confused.

"Sir, wait a moment. General Lagan told us to hold this girl," protested one of them.

Andrew turned a suddenly burning eye towards them, and they blanched. "And is General Lagan here, now?" he asked, voice suddenly harsh and dangerous. Still though, his hand was warm around Vivio's and so she didn't pull away.

"Uh, well… No, but…"

"Then I am giving you a direct order, trooper. I'm taking this girl out of here. I'll deal with General Lagan," he told them.

The two guards looked at each other and shrugged. If the commander was going to take the fall out, no skin off their backs. It's not like they enjoyed holding a kid prisoner anyhow. "Alright, sir. Go ahead."

Face dropping back into a smile, Andrew looked down at Vivio. "Alright… Let's go!"

**TSAB Forward Command Center…**

Hayate arrived in the staging area outside, finding both Nanoha and Fate in their barrier jackets, grim expressions on their faces. Turning at her approach, Hayate stopped short.

"Hayate-chan… Don't think you can convince me to back down. I'm not going to sit here while Vivio's being held captive like this," declared Nanoha.

Hayate shook her head. "What makes you think I'm here to stop you? I came here to help."

Nanoha's expression softened a touch. A little embarrassed, she looked away. "Sorry, Hayate-chan… I didn't mean…"

Hayate stepped in, touching Nanoha's shoulder. "No, I understand." She took a deep breath. "Carim wanted you to know how sorry she was… but she didn't want to risk the others. She's not sure what that General Lagan would have done."

Nanoha shook her head. "I don't blame Carim-san. I understand… She didn't have a choice."

"Nanoha," said Fate quietly. "Are you ready to go?"

Nanoha glanced over at her other friend. "Yeah."

Hayate nodded slowly, setting up her own armor and preparing to head out with the others, when a lieutenant poked his head out of the command center. "Uh, Colonel, we have something inbound!"

Hayate gave a sigh of frustration. "Alright, lieutenant. I'll be right there. Another Arcadian attack…" she grumbled.

The lieutenant shook his head. "No ma'am… it's one person… We think it might be Andrew Darkstar."

The three women frowned. Fate looked at Nanoha. "Nanoha… If he's doing something…"

The auburn haired woman sighed heavily and nodded. "Then we had better find out what before we do anything," she agreed forlornly.

As they headed inside, monitors flashed up. "Looks like he's coming straight in, alone. Picking him up on visual scanners… now," said a staffer.

As the image appeared, Nanoha gasped, stepping forward. Cradled in Andrew Darkstar's arms was Vivio.

Hayate leaned in, looking at the tracker. "Where's he heading?"

"Course steady at 307, ma'am," reported the controller.

Hayate looked over at Nanoha whose face was a mask of determination. "Go, Nanoha-chan," she said.

With only a short nod, the woman in white hurried out, leaping into the sky and speeding towards the daughter she had sworn to protect.

Andrew flew through the early morning sky, stars just starting to flicker away overhead as the sun grew brighter. Tucked in close was Vivio Takamachi, wind rippling through her hair.

Glancing down at the young girl, Andrew smiled. "Don't worry, Vivio, we're almost there," he assured her.

Vivio nodded, then suddenly, over Andrew's shoulder, she spotted a bright pink globe. "Ah, that's one of Nanoha-mama's spells!"

Andrew nodded. "It's been following us for a couple minutes now." Gesturing with his chin, he said, "She's right over there. Hold on, I'll set us down."

Slowly floating down towards a bluff overlooking the vast plains that sat before the extreme outskirts of Cranagan, Andrew touched down, putting Vivio firmly back on solid earth. As Vivio glanced about, before them, 20 yards away, landed Nanoha Takamachi.

"Mama!" cried Vivio excitedly. She took a few steps forward, then stopped, looking back at Andrew.

The man in black nodded. "Go ahead. Your mama's waiting for you."

Smiling back at him, Vivio nodded before running the rest of the way into Nanoha's waiting arms. The auburn haired woman scooped up Vivio, holding her tightly, before glancing back at Andrew Darkstar, who was already turning to go.

"Wait," she called after him, standing back up. "Why?"

Andrew turned back around, face more earnest and open than Nanoha had ever seen it. "Because this battle is between soldiers like you and me, Captain. Children like your daughter have no place in this conflict."

"Is that why you took them hostage in the first place?" countered Nanoha, keeping most of the anger out of her voice.

Andrew ignored her emotion; he understood the reason for it. "I had nothing to do with that," he told her seriously. "I never would have ordered something like that." He fixed her with a hard stare. "I will not buy my people's freedom with the blood of innocents. I will never do that. This is a disagreement between my government and yours. I don't think people who are simply trying to live their lives need to suffer for that."

"Then end this now!" Nanoha implored him. "People are dying, suffering every day because of what you're doing here."

Andrew shook his head. "My people have been dying and suffering for nearly a century. All of our pleas have been ignored. We have no option left but this. I am sorry it has come to this, but we have no choice." With that, he turned away once more. "Just remember, Captain Takamachi," he told her over his shoulder, voice profoundly serious, with none of the hardness she had heard before, "39 million civilians were killed when the TSAB bombed our world. That's a debt that can never be repaid. But even so, I'll give your people the courtesy your government never gave mine—I'll die before I order an attack on civilians." With that last parting shot, he took off into the brightening sky, back towards the Arcadian lines.

Vivio looked up at her mother. "What were you two talking about, mama?"

Nanoha absently patted her daughter's head, watching the man in black roar away, wondering if there really was no way out of this other than fighting. "Things… I hope you never have to think about."

**Arcadian Command Post...**

General Lagan looked ready to explode. Goren watched Andrew carefully as the younger man faced them, face unrepentant. "Please tell me why you did this," Goren ordered softly.

Andrew glanced at Lagan before answering. "Because I believe that it was wrong. Tactics aside, strategy aside, it's just wrong. We're soldiers, not terrorists. I won't stoop to the level of the TSAB," he added, knowing that would placate Goren somewhat, although the implication that Lagan would stoop to the level of their enemies was not lost on Goren either.

"You deliberately disobeyed…" Lagan started, before Goren waved him off.

"I don't believe you gave the Commander any specific orders on this subject, General. Still, Commander, you knew what General Lagan's intentions were and you personally countermanded them, and pulled rank on two guards. I am going to have to enter an official reprimand into your record for this," Goren informed him.

Andrew nodded slowly. "I understand, General."

Lagan clenched his jaw and stormed out. Goren sighed after the other man had left and fixed Andrew with a glare of his own. "You're playing a very dangerous game, Andrew. Don't antagonize Lagan any further. He's tolerated your behavior so far because of your ability to win battles, but push him any more and he'll come down on you. I've protected you as far as I can."

Andrew looked away. He knew Goren had done a lot for him, but he had been willing to face the consequences from the moment he took Vivio out of that place. "I know, General. Thank you. This will be the last time."

Goren nodded. "Just so we're clear." He turned to the monitors. "Our strategic situation is good, not excellent, but good. We hold two major centers south of Cranagan, but it is a fairly wide front, and Port Brenner isn't as defensible as South Reach. How are we tactically?"

Andrew stepped next to Goren, pointing to various units. "We're down to 92% of expected manpower for this phase of the operation. The last two engagements drained us. But I think one more big win will push us over the top; their morale has to be near the breaking point now. If we can hit them hard once more, we can force them to the table." He looked over at Goren. "To be honest, sir, I think the good will we'll generate from the Saint Church for our release of the children could be more important than any value they might have had as hostages. Holding children could have incited the public; letting them go through our lines shows we're not unreasonable."

Goren sighed. "I suppose you may be correct, Commander. We'll have to see."

Andrew recognized that Goren didn't wish to discuss the matter and moved on to operational ventures. "I think, sir, if we push in a sweep out of South Reach, we can move the line back here, placing us just outside of Round Rock. It's a small town, but it would put us in position to launch raids on the outer areas of Cranagan itself."

Goren nodded as he followed the patterns Andrew suggested. "I see. Alright, I'll speak with Lagan and see how it works logistically. You start preparing a plan, Commander."

Andrew watched him go, and suddenly found himself thinking again about his encounter with Nanoha Takamachi. She was right; he was causing suffering for people here, no matter how much he tried to avoid it. But was there truly any other choice? As the scion of the Darkstar family, he knew far more than most about how history of Arcadia's fall and subsequent negotiations with the TSA Council. Still, the one certainty he could take away from that meeting was that Nanoha Takamachi was ready for action again. He'd have to confront her once more if he hoped to win this war.

_Author's Note: Poor, poor Vivio. I was worried about this portion of the story for a long time and considered scrapping it several times altogether, but when I finally ended up writing it, I liked how it ended up (the first iteration in outline bore almost no resemblance to this, and honestly was completely horrible, though I'm sure there are some who will complain that the end result is still horrible). Also, I always feel like I might be writing her to sound younger than she is at this point... In any event, it looks like a second duel with Nanoha is in the works… But not immediately. Things are getting intense, now._

_By the way, the place he met Nanoha and gave her Vivio is about 15-20 miles behind the TSAB lines. He was planning on taking her to a nearby town where she could call for help, but when he spotted Nanoha's Area Search watching them, he decided to meet with her directly instead._


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: severstal: You know, I actually hadn't thought of that… I guess my penchant for explanations got the best of me. You're right, though, the only real reason Agito wasn't there was because if he loses now, the story ends. It is a plot hole, but not a very important one._

**TSAB Forward Command Center…**

Hayate pored over the large monitor, flanked by the Ground Forces commander, and the Air Forces general. On the other side of the room stood Nanoha and Fate. Hayate looked up, face set. "Are things really as bad as that, General?"

The Ground Forces commander nodded slowly. "The Council is completely deadlocked. Many of them are ready to capitulate right now. Others are advocating another all out assault. A few even suggested counter-attacking Arcadia immediately."

Fate frowned. "With what? It was my impression that our forces were stretched thin as it was. And didn't the staff decide that a counter-attack shouldn't occur until we took care of the forces here?"

Nanoha grimaced. "They're advocating bombing the planet again, aren't they?"

The generals nodded slowly as Hayate blanched. "The last bombing killed nearly 1% of the entire planetary population. It was an absolute mistake, which they already swept under the rug!They can't possibly be considering that! Moreover, that has be to against some sort of treaty, doesn't it?" Hayate was right in that last regard; the articles on interstellar war which now bound all Administrated Worlds had not been in existence during the last attack, one reason why the commanders had been able to get away with it.

The air forces general shook his head. "They're frightened, Colonel, even some of the more conciliatory voices are under a lot of pressure from hardliners and the public. The Arcadians are putting up a bigger fight than any of them expected. Moreover," he pointed to the screens showing Andrew Darkstar earlier, "they're terrified of that man."

"With good reason," Nanoha admitted softly. "Our scans from his battle with Signum-san indicate he's not just an S+ mage," she told them. "His skill level is about S+, but his peak magical point values would indicate an overall rating of SS."

A heavy silence fell on the room. Hayate and Fate hadn't heard that yet, nor had the generals. "Are you serious?" asked the Ground Forces commander.

Nanoha nodded. "Yes. His raw power level isn't quite the same as Hayate's, but it's well above S rank."

"But don't mages with SS-level power usually have trouble using more precise magic, like Colonel Yagami?" protested the air forces general.

"Mmm," affirmed Nanoha. "I think that's due to the way he's been trained. I suspect that instead of specializing in one area, he's trained to a fairly high level in all areas, and relies on his power to overwhelm more skilled opponents… You could do it with a lot of training. His melee skills, short range magic, mid-range magic, and long range magic, all around AAA or higher… In fact, I can't imagine the sort of training you'd need to be able to fight like that. However, you'll notice that in the end, he leveraged his superior overall power to win most of the fights. He did manage to outmaneuver Vita, it's true, but most of the breaks he's gotten, it's been from very judiciously holding back his full abilities, keeping us on our toes. In the end, everything points to a fighting style that allows him to fight any opponent and have a chance to win."

"In other words," observed Fate, "he's been trained specifically to be able to defeat other high level mages, no matter what sort of area they specialize in."

The Ground Forces commander stared at the slim Enforcer. "You mean…"

"He was trained to beat us," Hayate said, the realization dawning on her as well. "Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan, me and the Wolkenritter… We really have been targeted."

"It makes sense," commented the air forces general, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "In an engagement of this nature, ace mages can make a huge difference in the direction of the battles. Fighting against our top aces, with a numerical disadvantage, they'd have no chance."

Nanoha nodded. "That's right. So they must have trained him from very early on to try and negate our own aces, leaving us with only numerical superiority." She gave a small shake of her head in admiration. "It's a simple tactic, but as we've seen, it's also been very effective."

Hayate stared at the troop dispositions. "We've got a chance, then," she declared firmly. "If we harass them, hit them all along the line, and whittle away their strength, we can force an end. Even Andrew Darkstar can't be everywhere at once."

"It'll mean a drawn out operation though, Hayate," Fate pointed out. "Every day the war continues means more people hurt."

"And more time for the Council to panic, I know," affirmed Hayate glumly. "But confronting and defeating Andrew Darkstar isn't the only way to beat him. Making him irrelevant is our best option."

Nanoha watched the exchange silently. Hayate made a good point, as did Fate, but… She wasn't sure anymore, if she could face Andrew Darkstar with her full power. The man seemed like a contradiction sometimes, with his vicious pursuit of his foes, but at the same time, he had arranged for the children's release, and had even brought back Vivio personally, even after his superiors had tried to hold her hostage. Fighting a man with convictions as strong as his would be difficult. Was her heart strong enough to counter his?

"I don't know that we have any better options," the Ground Forces commander was saying now. "Alright, we'll go with your plan, Colonel. The general and I will try to keep the Council off your backs, not that they seem to need the help at the moment. Good luck."

Outside, Nanoha found herself staring up at the night sky several hours later. It had been a night just like this one, she mused, only two weeks ago that this whole trouble had started. It seemed like a whole lifetime had transpired since that first day she fought against Andrew Darkstar and the Arcadians. She was interrupted out of her musings, however, by the approach of two familiar faces.

"Nanoha-san?" A short, tough looking woman wearing a silver uniform approached, flanked by a red haired woman wearing the uniform of an Enforcer.

Nanoha smiled at the two, surprised to see them. "Subaru, Tea! I didn't expect to see you two here."

Tea nodded solemnly. "A lot of people have been pulled off their normal duties to deal with this crisis, including the both of us it seems."

"I guess we're going to be working together again for a little bit, then, Nanoha-san," put in Subaru.

Despite the circumstances, Nanoha was glad to see her two protégés from the days of Mobile Section 6. She'd followed both of their careers with great interest, though of course it had been easy to check up on Tea, seeing as how she had served as Fate's aide for a while before becoming a licensed Enforcer on her own.

"It looks that way, huh?" answered Nanoha, smiling despite herself. Even with everything going on, Nanoha couldn't but feel a little cheered. "By the way, I wonder how much you two know about our plans going forward?"

Subaru shrugged. "They don't tell us line troopers all that much. Just where to go, really."

Tea gave an exasperated sigh. "If you had paid closer attention, you would have figured it out, Subaru." She turned to Nanoha. "We're squad leaders, in the same platoon even, so the officers brought us together and gave us a few of the details. From the sound of things, were going to have general warfare across the line, trying to wear out the Arcadians."

Nanoha nodded. "That's right. It's not the best strategy in the world, but it's what we have."

Subaru looked at Nanoha closely for a moment, then asked seriously, "Nanoha-san… That guy, Andrew Darkstar, is he really as strong as he seems?"

"He's pretty tough," Nanoha confirmed. "You can't beat Fate-chan and Signum-san by just being lucky."

"What about yourself, Nanoha-san? I didn't see much about what happened in your fight with him," Tea commented carefully.

Nanoha gave a weak smile. "Well, I got a little unlucky, it's true, just like Fate-chan… But that doesn't excuse anything. I didn't expect him to be that strong, and I paid for it." Her face became a little more stern as she swept her eyes across the two younger women. "Both of you, be very careful out there. Don't underestimate your opponents. Go out there with maximum power and don't take anything for granted. Alright?"

The two of them nodded, and Nanoha gave them a final smile before saying good-bye and heading back into the command center. Subaru looked over at Tea.

"You didn't tell Nanoha-san about your plan to beat Andrew Darkstar," she commented.

Tea shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Who knows if we'll even encounter him? It's only to be prepared, that's all. And even if we can't win, it may just buy enough time for help to arrive."

Subaru pursed her lips. "I guess so. I still can't believe Nanoha-san was beaten, though…"

Tea looked after Nanoha, tilting her head slightly. "I know what you mean… But you know, nobody's unbeatable; if that applies to Nanoha-san, then it applies to Andrew Darkstar as well. Nanoha-san isn't the type that would lose twice, don't you think?"

Subaru smile slowly, spirits lifted a bit by that statement. "You're right." She stretched her arms, glancing up at the night sky. "I guess we had better get to our barracks. Tomorrow's going to be tough, probably." With that, the two old companions made their way across the grounds and towards the next big fight of their lives.

**Arcadian Command Post, 20 hours later…**

It was a scene of apparent chaos within the command post. Staffers ran about left and right, reporting new troop movements, new casualty reports, and new lines of control. The TSAB was moving out along the entire front, striking hard and fast and then pulling back. Casualties were mounting on both sides, but the Arcadians could ill afford the losses, while the TSAB could absorb far more. Around the central monitor Andrew huddled with General Goren while Lagan was at his own command post in Port Brenner, as if to remind everyone how forces under his direct command and seized that locale.

Andrew shook his head slowly and blew out a breath. "I was always afraid of this," he muttered. "They're going after us with attrition tactics. If I had been in their position, this would have been my strategy from day one."

"They had political considerations driving some of their strategy," Goren chided Andrew, "but I understand what you mean. With the Navigational Forces blockading the planet, we can't bring in more reinforcements. They'll slowly whittle us away to nothing."

Andrew grimaced, placing his hands on the table. "I know. And being constantly harassed like this, it's going to make it difficult for us to form up to launch an attack and regain the initiative. If they're going to stick to this, we really have only one recourse."

Goren lifted his eyes to look at Andrew. "And what's your suggestion, Commander?"

"We have to find a way to make their losses even worse. It can't be 1:1 or even 2:1 in our favor. Make them suffer horrendous casualties and hope their political will gives out. Their morale has to be near the breaking point. If we can just push them a little further…"

Goren nodded slowly. "I see. And how would we go about this?"

Andrew pointed out a few places on the map. "These are the most defensible locations we're currently holding. If we can temporarily reinforce these spots, it might give us enough time to build up our static defenses, make them pay the butcher's bill every time they go in."

Goren looked over the map. "It could work. But you do realize we don't have any substantial reinforcements available, don't you, Commander?"

Andrew shook his head. "Yes we do." He straightened, face hardening with determination. "I'll have to go. I'll go to each of these locations and shore them up for a while, and then move on to the next site."

Goren frowned. "You'd burn yourself out in a few days. And it'd make you useless for planning any attacks of opportunity."

Andrew slammed a palm on the table in frustration. "I know that, sir! But we don't have a choice. This is our only option. If we sit back, we may end up waiting for an opportunity that will never come. We still have a chance, but the longer this drags on, the more that chance slips away."

Goren stared long and hard at Andrew before dropping his gaze to the map. He'd understood a long time ago that his pupil was smarter than he himself was. He'd known ever since the young man had been born that he was destined to be strong, strong enough to be the weapon they'd needed. What he'd never known was how deep Andrew's commitment to the Arcadian cause was. He'd never engaged in any of the familiar rhetoric, never talked about revenge, about bringing death to the TSAB the way they'd done to Arcadia. And he'd always, always stressed the need to avoid unnecessary deaths. What's more, Goren couldn't ever recall Andrew saying flat out that he'd do anything to free Arcadia. A man who chose his words as carefully as Andrew usually did wouldn't do something like that without purpose. But watching him now, Goren could tell; Andrew would sacrifice himself, his name, anything he could give, if it would make Arcadia free. So finally, at the end, Goren nodded. He couldn't bring himself to say it, knowing that he very well may have been sending Andrew to his eventual death, even knowing that Andrew would have paid that price had he been told of it beforehand. That was the man he had become.

Without another word, Andrew nodded back at Goren and made his way out of the command post. There was nothing that needed to be said. Both men knew what was at stake. Both knew this was their only chance.

**TSAB Forward Command Center…**

Hayate and Nanoha watched the monitors intently, though to be sure their concentration had been flagging lately. Planning the particulars of the operation and monitoring the progress the past several hours had been taxing, on top of the already long days they had had leading up to this one. They could hardly be faulted then, for not noticing one of their squadrons winking out suddenly until a staffer pointed it out to them.

Hayate frowned. "What? How did that not get noticed immediately? When did that happen?"

"We're checking the records now, Colonel," a staffer assured them.

Just as he set about looking for the correct time stamp, another squadron started winking out. This time, however, a desperate communication from the front reached them.

"Command, this is Squadron 11! We're under attack! It's Darkstar!" The channel cut to static seconds later, and the squadron couldn't be raised again.

Hayate cursed under her breath. "Andrew Darkstar, again… What's he up to this time?"

Nanoha frowned, watching the monitors. The first squadron disappeared at a location not too distant from the second. It was easily within several minutes' flight time for a strong aerial mage. Mind working quickly now, she stepped over to the records the staffer was looking up, and her suspicions were confirmed. "Hayate," she said, motioning her friend to come over. "Look here. The first squadron dropped off here, 8 minutes ago. At Mach 1.6, which is average cruising speed for an over S ranked aerial mage, the second location is about 6 minutes distant."

Hayate studied the data for a moment, then looked back at the monitor, expression thoughtful. "So, you think it was Andrew Darkstar, at both sites? That sort of runs contrary to what we would expect, right? He's only showed up at the front lines for big, important battles so far."

Nanoha nodded. "I know, but it makes sense. How else could they be taking out our squadrons so fast? He must be going around to positions they want to make sure they keep and driving off our forces, to give the Arcadians time to build up defenses." She paused, taking in the monitors again. "It's a bit risky," she admitted. "Even someone with as much magical power as that will tire themselves out rapidly flying around mopping up that many trouble spots."

Hayate leaned against the central table, nodding. "You're right… But if he's really been pushed to do that, it must mean our strategy is working. He wants to force us to the negotiating table, and to be in a position of strength. Even though we're whittling them down, to the point that they won't be able to sustain the fight much longer, these sorts of tactics won't help our morale."

It was a difficult position each side was in, Nanoha reflected. While it was true that this battle of attrition was clearly working, the dwindling spirits of the troops and the populace was clearly a problem. If the troops couldn't be convinced to fight hard, and if the citizenry wouldn't support the war effort, all their sacrifices so far would be meaningless. However, Andrew Darkstar and the Arcadians were certainly nearing their own breaking point. While their morale must surely be strong following their victories, such resolve would only go so far before the numbers caught up with them. Pull back, though, and everything they had bled for would be lost. Everything balanced, she decided, on Andrew Darkstar. He could foul up Hayate's plan, could keep the Arcadians going… And they were seeing his level of determination now. He was risking a lot with this. Would their own resolve be strong enough to stand up to him?

"Ma'am," called one of the staffers, breaking Nanoha's near-trance. "We're getting a signal from another squad. It's Andrew Darkstar again."

Nanoha stepped over next to Hayate, examining the map. "In the center, this time. So what's so important about these three places, I wonder?"

Hayate frowned. "I'm not sure. None of them seem to have any real strategic value, so…" She paused. "Hang on a moment. That area, that's where Tea and Subaru are."

Nanoha's eyes widened. "Tea, Subaru… I hope they'll be alright…"

**Badger Ridge outskirts…**

Tea grimaced as a magic bolt exploded a few meters away. Her time with Mobile Section 6 hadn't been anything like this. That had been all small unit operations, the battles had been about tactics and maneuver. This was a straight up fight. That would probably suit someone like Subaru, she mused, watching her long time partner deliver a crushing blow to an opposing Arcadian, but for her, this was a bit too straightforward.

As Tea sprinted for some cover forward, Subaru came crashing down next to her in her ebullient fashion. It was always a wonder to Tea how someone so indecisive, clumsy, and irresolute became such a hot-blooded figure on the battlefield. But she knew from their long association that Subaru was a person who could put her own fears and weaknesses aside for the sake of others, having been saved once by Nanoha, the person she now admired.

"How's it looking out there?" asked Tea breathlessly. She had only been popping up from time to time to hit targets Subaru spotted for her. Her own defenses wouldn't last long in this sort of environment, and it was best not to rely on your barriers. That way they'd be there when you really did need them.

"It's pretty crazy," the blue-haired young woman admitted. "It's tough to guard against all these attacks and keep up the pressure yourself. I think we might be close to breaking through, though."

Tea nodded. "Alright. The central position they've got. You ready?" They had fought together so many times before, the two almost didn't need telepathy to speak to one another.

As Subaru gave a sound of approval, the space around them seemed to erupt with destruction. Their squad-mates caught in the open were felled in seconds from the multiple projectiles suddenly whizzing about. A devastating boom behind them signaled the similar end of their support line. Daring to peek around the corner for a second, Tea saw it.

Hovering just in front of the central position on the ridge held by the Arcadians was a lone man in a jet black coat. Dancing about him were electric blue bolts of magic energy, a few of which now flew at Tea.

As Tea darted back behind cover, Subaru erected a barrier, which sparked its strain against the shots, but held fast. Subaru turned to Tea, face now lined with worry.

"Tea, wasn't that…?"

Tea nodded, trying to get her thudding heart under control. "It's Andrew Darkstar."

"We may be in trouble here, Tea. Most of the others are down. What should we do?" asked Subaru lowly.

Tea breathed out slowly, then turned to Subaru. "We can't retreat; he'd only cut us down. We can't stay here, either. We've only got one choice." Subaru nodded solemnly as Tea got on the line with the rest of the squad. _We'll try and distract him as best we can. Once we're engaged, the rest of you pull back, and try and get word to the command center. If they can get some of the aces here, they might be able to stop him_.

As the signals of acknowledgement came in, Tea turned back to Subaru, who only nodded, face serious. "Alright, Tea… Let's go!"

As Andrew watched, most of the remaining elements of the TSAB forces started slowly pulling back, moving from cover to cover. They were well-trained and disciplined, to be sure, even in desperate retreat like this not forgetting the fundamentals. Still, it wouldn't do them any good against the firepower he could bring to bear. He raised his device, preparing a wide-range bombardment spell.

A sudden shot from close in interrupted him, however, as a slim red-haired girl and a tomboyish-looking blue-haired girl leapt out from behind their cover, instantly breaking into different directions, the blue-haired one taking off on what appeared to be some sort of pathway magic. He'd never seen anything like that before. Frowning, he released the rest of his hovering shots to disrupt their movements while he pulled back a bit to assess the situation.

Tea dove behind cover as the area around her was pelted with attacks, and then broke out, along with three of her illusions. This entire maneuver depended on her getting one clear shot; if she couldn't escape, they were done for.

Andrew glanced at the red-haired mage. Illusion magic was pretty rare. And this user had some real talent; he couldn't tell the difference off-hand which ones were fakes. At that moment, the other girl came rushing in on her pathway, preparing an attack. However, he simply slipped back and towards her. While that magic gave a ground mage like her an edge over other ground-pounders, and allowed her to more easily engage aerial mages, in the end, someone capable of flight would be far more maneuverable.

"Hehe, not so fast," laughed Subaru lowly. With that, she skidded and leapt out.

Andrew frowned. Something like that was suicide. There was no way she could land an attack successfully. In that moment, though, a series of shots from the other mage forced him to dodge, and he noticed it; the blue-haired girl had formed several more paths around him, above and below.

"So the paths don't have to be continuous," he murmured, raising a hand to block the closer mage's attack. She was frighteningly strong, even considering she was a mage. But she didn't have the magical power to overwhelm his defenses. Her pathways were fouling up the airspace, though. It was tough to maneuver.

Andrew fired off several bolts at her from close in, but she raised a shield with her other hand and leapt away, skating onto one of the myriad paths she'd set up. Andrew watched her impassively for a second before casting a quick glance about for the other one. There were still several illusions out there. Just as he summoned bolts to attack them, however, the closer mage attack again, from his blindside.

He blocked attack, and sent off his bolts towards the red-head before slashing at the closer girl with his device. Facing an attack on her right, Subaru had to leap back. As she skidded to a stop, she readied another blow. Tea had to be ready by now.

"Comet Pierce."

At that instant, Andrew struck. Subaru was caught off balance by his speed and was almost knocked off her feet. _Subaru, reinforce your barriers. He took out Enforcer Fate with a similar maneuver!_ Tea hurriedly told her.

Subaru nodded, focusing more power into her barrier; she wouldn't need it for her attack, the cartridges would take care of that. Swinging her right arm forward, her fist impacted square on his barrier. "Vibration Shatter!"

The blow splintered Andrew's auto-guard; from this range, Subaru's attack had almost no equal. However, Andrew was still fast enough to erect another barrier, blunting away most of the force.

As he readied his next blow, though, the blue-haired girl suddenly jumped away, racing at top speed on one of her other paths. "Tea! Now!"

With a start, Andrew spun about. A large mass of magic had built up around the Illusions. All of them faded away, leaving just the one real mage. As she lined up her shot, Andrew knew it would be dangerous to take that sort of blow cavalierly.

Tea let out a deep breath. _With this, Nanoha-san, I'll prove your magic, your training is superior to this guy's._ "Alright! Starlight Breaker!"

Subaru watched, eyes wide, as the burst of magical energy washed over the place where Andrew Darkstar had been. There was absolutely no way Tea had missed. She glanced up at her longtime friend. "Tea… We did it…"

Chest heaving with her exertion, Tea slumped to the ground against a large rock. They really had done it. The enemy that even Nanoha-san and the others had failed against, somehow their plan had worked.

"That was a good attack… You two really surprised me."

Subaru froze. There was no way… He had definitely been hit, so how…? As she stared, the choking cloud of dust slowly cleared, revealing Andrew Darkstar, shrouded by a ragged black aura that seemed to shift like ripples in a lake.

"What…is that?" muttered Tea, stunned that anyone could take an attack like that and emerge apparently virtually unharmed.

"Eclipse Mode engaged," intoned Shooting Star.

Andrew grimaced. He couldn't believe he had allowed himself to get caught out like that. While that attack might not have done him in completely, they certainly would have beaten after that point. Reinforcing his barriers with Eclipse Mode, however… it had worked, if barely. He had to move fast though. In his current state, it'd shut down in four minutes, and he'd be a dead man if he didn't beat them first.

Subaru, recovering from her shock, quickly retreated. While keeping her distance was advantageous for him, she had no idea what this new ability of his could do. And even so, she could see, from here, that his barrier jacket was definitely damaged. He wasn't invulnerable. They could still do this.

_Subaru, look out!_ broadcast Tea urgently. In that instant, a veritable wall of electric blue bolts shimmered into existence behind Subaru.

"No way…" she murmured. Putting up a barrier and leaping aside, she figured her only chance now was to try and close back in. Glancing about, she found that Andrew Darkstar hadn't moved from his previous spot. Gritting her teeth, projectiles chasing after her, she kicked it up to full speed and charged in.

"Wait, Subaru!" called Tea. The red-haired Enforcer clenched her jaw as she watched her partner attack. Something didn't add up. Why wasn't he moving?

As Subaru bored in full tilt, still Andrew didn't move. Just as she was preparing to charge up an attack, she smacked straight into a barrier that popped up in an instant, knocking her back and almost toppling her. Even as she stumbled, she managed to throw up a barrier which sparked and then shattered under the assault of the bolts that had been in pursuit. Staggering, Subaru reflected she hadn't felt this bad in a long time. Her vision was blurry and her left arm wasn't quite working right. Still, she slowly raised her right. If she could just get a shot off…

A sudden force dropped her to her knees and pinned her there. She felt so heavy. Not even her enhanced musculature could get her body to lift itself. She struggled uselessly for a few seconds, then finally collapsed, her strength spent. And through it all, Andrew Darkstar hadn't moved an inch.

In the distance, Tea watched in horrified amazement. _All those moves, the shooting magic, the barrier, the bind, all so fast… I didn't think it was possible._ Lining up a shot, she tried to shake away her concerns for Subaru for the moment. That girl wasn't going to die from something like that; there wasn't anyone tougher in the entire world. She had to focus now, or she herself might end up dead.

Andrew Darkstar turned to glare at Tea, and in a flash, he had closed half the distance. Tea started and steadied her aim, but a bright cerulean beam was already bearing down on her. Instantly, she dropped to one knee and diverted all her energy to her barriers. The wave of energy crashed into her defenses and washed over her. She had a sensation of being thrown through the air, and managed to mutter, "Shit…" before she slammed into a boulder and lost consciousness.

Andrew leaned heavily against another large boulder several minutes later, looking over the desolate battlefield. Even after only three battles, he was already feeling weary. Well, using Eclipse Mode here certainly had a lot to do with that. Those two had really surprised him. He hadn't expected to have to use that form against anyone but the TSAB's strongest aces. They'd fought really well, and he'd underestimated them. Shaking his head at his own foolishness, he turned to the lieutenant in command here.

"Lieutenant Cross, see to your own casualties, and have the men get started immediately on strengthening their positions," he told the young mage, managing to keep most of the fatigue out of his voice.

Cross studied him for a moment, then nodded sharply. Flicking a finger at the two mages still left on the field, he asked, "And what about them?"

Andrew shook his head. "Leave them alone. If they're foolish enough to attack again in that state, deal with them, but there's no reason to kill them out of hand, and we don't have the manpower to watch over prisoners."

Shaking himself, Andrew took a deep breath and leapt off the ground, heading for his next destination. He couldn't afford to start slacking now. There was far too much at stake.

**TSAB Forward Command Center, 10 hours later…**

Colonel Hayate Yagami sat hunched over, watching the screens intently. She had been on station for nearly 20 hours now, and the lack of sleep the past week was really starting to catch up with her. Her shoulders slumped, her usually tidy hair was unkempt, and her normally sharp, intelligent eyes seemed almost muddy. But if it had been a trying day for her, it must have been even more so for Andrew Darkstar, she mused.

The man had systematically hit 9 different points on the line in 5 hours. Truth be told, Tea and Subaru had given him the single hardest fight over that time period, but being in action for that long took its toll, even on the strongest of people. She figured he was probably resting at the moment, which gave them a chance to shore up their own forces and renew their attacks… if they could find the personnel to launch them. 5 full squadrons worth of personnel had been wiped out by the man in black, and only actions like Tea and Subaru's had saved a few dozen others from the same fate.

Biting her lower lip, she reflected on just how much courage it must have taken for those two to face off against that sort of foe. They both knew just how strong he must have been, but they still resolved to fight, and even managed to inflict more damage than anyone else had before he got them. That was the other troubling aspect; they had no idea what exactly it was he did, but it somehow had allowed him to survive a direct hit from Tea's Starlight Breaker. While Tea's wasn't quite up to the par of Nanoha's, an attack like that was nothing to sneeze at; even an ordinary S class mage would have suffered a lot of damage from taking an attack of that strength.

"Hayate-chan, you're still here?" The brown-haired mage nearly leapt out of her seat. Standing beside her were Nanoha and Fate, the former of whom had a disappointed frown on her face. "Geez, we've been to the hospital, had a nap, and come back here, and we find you still watching the monitors. And it doesn't look like you've had a break at all," admonished the auburn haired woman.

Despite herself, Hayate blushed, embarrassed at having been called out by her friend like that. Fate stepped in, looking concerned. "Hayate, you shouldn't be pushing yourself like this. You're only going to make yourself too tired for when you're really needed. It's hard, I know, but you need to get some rest." With that, she glared a bit at Nanoha. "It's hard enough getting Nanoha to take a break; carrying on like this, the both of you would work until you fall over!"

Nanoha laughed weakly, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah, you're right, Fate-chan…" She turned back to her other friend. "But really, Hayate-chan, you need a break. Tea and Subaru are going to be alright; they got beat up pretty bad, but they'll recover. And there's not much activity right now; Andrew Darkstar must be taking a break, too. If anything happens, we'll let you know, OK?"

Hayate almost protested when a wave of lethargy washed over her, and she had to slump back down in her chair. She wondered if she actually had the energy to stand up at this point. "I guess you're right, Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan… I just felt like I had to do something… I don't know that I've really contributed all that much…" She let her voice trail off and shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. There wasn't a point in dwelling on those things right now. Thinking like that wouldn't win the war.

As Hayate struggled to her feet and shambled out the door, Fate turned to Nanoha. "You, too, Nanoha," she said sternly, "I'll take the first watch, so you get a little rest."

Nanoha sighed grumpily, but nodded. "Alright, Fate-chan. Just don't overwork yourself keeping the rest of us from working," she added with a smile.

Despite herself, Fate found the edges of her own mouth tugging upwards. "Alright. I'll see you in a bit, Nanoha."

With a short nod, the auburn haired woman in white bid her old friend farewell, and strode out the door.

Hayate awoke with a start. Dawn was just starting to wipe away the last vestiges of darkness outside the window. Blinking her eyes and stretching her limbs, the short, slim woman swung her legs out of bed and groped about for her uniform. As she buttoned up her tunic, she spotted her partner, Reinforce Zwei, collapsed in a heap on the nightstand next to the bed. Smiling lightly at the tiny Unison Device, Hayate finished dressing before scooping Rein into her bag and heading out.

Hayate stepped into the forward command center to find Nanoha standing at the center table, chatting seriously with a few lieutenants. Noticing the other woman, Nanoha waved Hayate over, smiling lightly. As Hayate returned the smile, she reflected that it was pretty clear they had both benefited a lot from catching a few hours of shut-eye.

"Hayate-chan, how are you?" asked Nanoha as the two officers she had been talking with made their way back to their stations.

Hayate rolled her shoulders a bit before nodding. "A lot better than I was. I didn't realize how tired I had gotten until you and Fate-chan came by."

Nanoha nodded briefly, before turning back to the monitors. "I've been up for a couple hours now—oh, Fate-chan's catching a bit of rest at the moment, but she'll be back before noon—and I'm still not sure exactly what Andrew Darkstar was after yesterday. He delayed us a bit to be sure… But there doesn't seem to be much gain for them."

Hayate shook her head. "I've been thinking about that, too. If you look at the places he attacked, they all have one thing in common. It's not strategic, so I didn't notice it at first." She brought up the locations on the map. "See? Each one of these was chosen for its defensibility."

Nanoha folded her arms and pursed her lips, nodding thoughtfully after a moment. "I see what you mean. He meant to take pressure off these places so they could dig in. He knows we're going for attrition, of course, and he wants to make us pay for every inch. He's hoping to break our will and force a resolution."

Hayate nodded, zooming the map back out. "It's what's left to him at this point. They can't have the forces for another offensive operation. It's up to whoever's resolve is stronger, now."

Nanoha's brow wrinkled as she studied the troop dispositions. "But he has bought some time… And the Council won't be able to hold out much longer. I read some editorials on the network; things are getting bad."

"And with the Council considering a full scale attack on Arcadia, the casualties could skyrocket," muttered Hayate darkly. She sighed and turned a solemn eye to Nanoha. "We have to undo what Andrew Darkstar's done. And I know how."

Clear blue eyes fixed on sharp brown ones. "How's that, Hayate-chan?"

Hayate laid out attack vectors on several of the points Andrew had reinforced from a single location. "I'll counter his move with my own. From here, I can hit 4 of the 9 places he attacked. Even if he can do it again today, and tomorrow, he'll burn out in a few days. At that point, hopefully we can negotiate an equitable solution."

Nanoha looked over the plan Hayate had just laid out. It was a simple plan that played entirely to Hayate's strengths. She'd be well back of the actual line, and would be totally free to bombard the entire area with her spells. The only problem was the one thing that had prevented them from winning already.

"Even if you're back that far, Hayate-chan… You should take a couple squadrons, along with Fate-chan to protect yourself. If Andrew Darkstar can close in, you won't have a chance."

Hayate nodded. "Alright. I don't know if we can spare two full squadrons right now though; one will have to be enough. What about you, Nanoha-chan?"

"I'll keep watch here. Somebody has to keep this place organized while you're gone, right?" observed Nanoha, smiling slightly.

Three hours later, after Fate had returned from her furlough, Hayate's strike team moved out, taking position 20 miles behind the lines. With Rein in Unison with Hayate, her longest effective range for targets this size was around 120 miles, which gave her a firing arc of just under 240 miles across the line, just barely enough to hit the 4 points she had indicated.

Hayate took a deep breath. It had been a long time since she had taken the field at full power. Being a SS mage, her abilities were generally limited to prevent undue destruction. Even further, as she had risen up the ranks, opportunities for field work like this became fewer and fewer. But now, with so many lives at stake, she wasn't about to let herself get held out of the fight.

As the Book of the Night Sky flipped to the appropriate pages, the glowing, Ancient Belkan sigils formed beneath her feet. "OK, we're all ready to go!" Rein told Hayate, her voice echoing inside Hayate's head.

Nodding, Hayate began her incantation. "Come forth, the wind of snow, and become the fletching which falls from the heavens."

Fate glanced up at Hayate from her position below. "Hayate, we have confirmation; all friendly units are outside of the blast zone."

Hayate nodded, and the firing sigils appeared before her, shining brightly. "Hræsvelgr!"

With a roar, the pure white supersonic missiles launched from Hayate's firing array. Sweeping across the sky, they locked onto the coordinates provided by Rein and drove inexorably onwards. The closest one would impact in less than a minute.

As Nanoha watched from the command center, the results were pretty dramatic; exactly what she'd expect from Hayate's long range magic. Wherever Hayate's missiles detonated, the enemy positions were wiped away, and even the heaviest fortifications they'd erected suffered severe damage. Nanoha reflected that Hayate's have to be careful, or they'd need to redraw the maps with the sort of firepower she was flinging about.

Ten minutes after the first wave had been fired, Hayate's strike force moved down the line to target other sites, while the rest of the TSAB forces moved in to put more pressure on the areas outside of her firing zones. Despite Andrew Darkstar's efforts the previous day, up and down the line, the TSAB was gaining the advantage.

_Author's Note: Yay, Hayate, you finally got to blow something up! I'm so proud of you. And Rein even gets to do stuff, too! I know, I sorely underused Rein and Agito, along with Shamal and Zafira (the latter of whom only appear a few times… And I actually can't recall off the top of my head whether they say anything at all. Poor guys.) Despite how things have ended up, neither Nanoha nor Hayate are actually my favorite characters in the series. It's Fate. But, as I said earlier, I didn't handle her very well, besides which, this was planned as a Nanoha-centric fic from the very beginning. Well, Nanoha and Andrew centric anyways._

_Of note in this chapter is the discussion of magic rankings. It's never quite clear in established canon what these rankings exactly mean, but here I've considered them a combination of a mage's skill and power. For example, Nanoha is a mage who has S level power and S+ skill, hence her S+ rating. Andrew is a guy with S+ skill and SS power, so he's SS. What Nanoha is referring to in this chapter is that she initially believed he had S+ skill and S+ power, which would make him a very tough S+ mage._

_Also of note is Nanoha's mention of Andrew's wide range of skills. Basically, what she means is his composite S+ skill is made up of having AAA+ or so ability at all ranges, whereas someone like Nanoha has a lot of skill at long ranges (say S+ or even SS) but not as much at melee or short range (more like A or AA). The only exceptional area Andrew has is mid-range magic (his attacks are a little shorter range than Nanoha's). So, if Nanoha is most effective at 200-1000 meters, Andrew is more like 50-600._


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's Note: I paused with the chapter updates for a while, reworking parts of the story a bit, to include additional information about the Orussian situation, and talking a little more about what happened during the first war between the TSAB and Arcadia. I also elaborated on the battle between Fate and Andrew, and added a few bits to the fight with Signum and Vita. Thanks to Phillip, btw, for pointing out some places where the story was weak. Insomuch as Andrew is an overpowered character, I agree, but it was necessary for the story to continue the way I had it planned out. As I've said before, the crux of this story is Nanoha finding a way to fight against someone who is overwhelmingly strong, and an exploration of her as Nanoha Takamachi, the gentle mother, not the White Devil we all know and fear._

_severstal: Nanoha, and Signum especially, are still a bit banged up, so aren't going back out just yet. Fate is currently escorting Hayate. Vita was hurt badly, and will be in the hospital for a while. Andrew is a naïve idiot sometimes—and once the battle is over, he literally just cannot bring himself to kill someone who can no longer fight back; he traps himself in bad tactical decisions sometimes because of his idealistic and self-sacrificing nature; he's really not cut out to be a soldier, which is why he's had to basically develop an alternate persona to fight. The battle between Andrew and Tea/Subaru might not have gone on that long, but fighting had been going on for a while at that location, even before Tea and Subaru deployed there, so there's a lot of magic floating about. Why he doesn't go after Hayate is explained in this first passage. As for the TSAB moral-political front, their troops are incredibly demoralized at the moment, and several characters mention how they're near the breaking point. The public similarly so, though a lot of information about what happened is being withheld from them, though it's slowly percolating out—it's basically the close your eyes and hope no one notices strategy, which is bad, yeah, but the alternative, worse so. In addition, this is one of the reasons, besides outright morality, that Andrew doesn't want to attack civilian targets—he wants to turn opinion against the TSA and force them to back down. I did make some changes to the previous chapters, hopefully it helps a bit, though at this point, I'm not sure if I can completely solve those concerns._

**Arcadian Forward Command Post…**

Commander Andrew Darkstar stepped inside the building, finding General Goren and Lagan staring at him on the large wall monitors that had been set up. He straightened, noticing the grave expressions on their faces.

"What's happened?" he asked without further preamble.

"Our line's being blown apart, Commander," Goren told him darkly. "It looks like Colonel Hayate Yagami has taken to the field. Her long range bombardment spells have blasted several of our strong points already, with TSAB forces moving back in after our positions have been leveled. Our casualties have been fairly light so far, but nearly all of our defensive works have been destroyed."

Andrew didn't say anything for a moment. The generals watched quietly as he clenched his jaw, rubbed the back of his neck and sighed with frustration before slamming his fist on the table, startling the other officers around him. "Damn it!" he cursed loudly. He held his head with irritation for a moment before looking back up at his superiors. "We're running out of options, then. Our forces are near the breaking point, generals."

"We need to shoot her down immediately," Lagan declared lowly.

Andrew shook his head. "I'm not sure that's possible, sir."

The other two stared at him blankly for a moment. Was Andrew Darkstar, their strongest weapon, their ace-killer, truly telling them he couldn't do it?

"What do you mean, Commander?" asked Lagan darkly.

Andrew sighed, bringing up the theater map. "Colonel Yagami is positioned about here? Alright… I figured as much. With that much distance between us, and with forces arrayed along the entirety of the line, she'd know I was approaching before I got within 30 miles of her location. Her long range magic is far superior to my own. If it came down to a long distance duel, I don't think I could win. Remember, she's a SS mage like me," he reminded them. "Her raw power is otherworldly; even greater than my own. I'd have to somehow close in, where her bombardment spells could be negated. But I can't see how I could do that… Even a tactical teleport would leave me vulnerable for 5-10 seconds if I'm alone, and by the time we could pre-sight an area, which would take several hours, she'd have moved on. And if I could close in, I suspect she's being guarded, probably by their other aces or her personal knights, so I'd have to fight them after running the gauntlet of Colonel Yagami's spells, or they'd hit me immediately upon teleport. Even if it's only a squadron of A-rank mages, that sort of concentrated fire for several seconds on an unmoving target from a teleport could cause severe damage even to an S rank mage." He shook his head. There were very few scenarios in which this came out good for them. "It'd be suicide."

"Sometimes soldiers need to sacrifice their lives, Commander," Lagan reminded him menacingly. Andrew pretended not to notice.

Goren cut in with a sigh. "The Commander knows that, General. But his point is the attack would have him throwing away his life for nothing. That's a waste of resources. We need another option."

Andrew looked over the map. He could feel the weight of the two generals' gaze on him, like the weight of all the people of Arcadia on his shoulders. He'd never quite felt as alone as he did for those few seconds as he contemplated a course of action. Finally, he looked back up at them, looking tired and resigned. "We need to buy time, get them to pull back. There's only one thing we can do; hit a high value target and knock them off their feet."

"We can't possibly have the forces left to do that. It'd take every single person we have remaining. And if it failed, we'd be slaughtered within a day," Goren pointed out.

Andrew nodded. "You're right, General. That's why we won't be doing that."

Goren's eyes narrowed. "Commander, you can't possibly mean to…"

Andrew cut him off, voice low and lacking its usual bite. "It's all we have left. I'll attack their forward command center and try to cause as much damage as I can. The rest is up to you, sir."

Before they could respond, he cut the transmission and headed back out. The room was silent as the other officers watched their commander go, wondering if they'd ever see him again, wondering if he could save them one last time.

Outside, under a sky that was beginning to darken with clouds, Andrew stared off at the distant horizon. On a clear night, one could look up at the stars and find Arcadia, just over 100 light years distant, it's bright star visible even under the twin moons of Mid-Childa. At that distance, if you had a powerful enough telescope, you could see Arcadia as it was before the TSAB bombings. If he looked in the right spot on the northern continent, he wondered if he could see his great-grandfather Shrike Darkstar, who had died a hero to his people. He wondered what his parents would have thought if they could see him now.

Looking down at the silvery gray links on his right wrist, he took a deep breath. "Are you ready, Shooting Star?"

"Prepared to engage," came the unwavering reply.

"Let's go."

**Arcadian Command Post, South Reach…**

Silence filled the command post as General Goren and Lagan looked at each other. Neither of them bothered trying to reestablish contact, either through the forward post or through a direct link with Andrew. They knew the man would not be dissuaded from his path. That left only one thing—what to do now.

"I think," Goren said finally, "we need to contact the Senate, let them know the current situation. Besides which, they're the only ones who can authorize a fleet action."

Lagan frowned. "You want to run the blockade then?"

"It's the only way we'll get reinforcements in," Goren pointed out, not needing to mention that it would also drain their forces defending Arcadia.

Lagan nodded slowly. "That's true… But even with reinforcements, we need a new plan. It's true that we're on the verge of breaking, but so are they. One major push, and they'll be sent over the edge."

Goren watched Lagan carefully for a moment before responding. "You want me to agree to release our bombers for a general attack mission." It was not a question.

"We have tacit Senate approval for attacks on civilian targets, but the order can't be given unless we both agree, Goren," Lagan pointed out. "We can crush their resolve right here and now. The Commander's attack, coupled with an intense bombing campaign, and they'll break."

Goren wasn't so sure. Like Andrew, he was wary of the possibility of civilian attacks instead reinvigorating the TSAB, and possibly bringing the Navigational Forces down on Arcadia itself with another bombardment. A general attack, they may be able to deal with somewhat, but another orbital bombardment… "I think I'll need to hear from the Senate before I make that choice," he said finally, knowing he was probably damning himself by his own indecision. But he wasn't about to make this sort of choice lightly.

Lagan nodded. "That's fair… Also, we need to figure out what we'll do without the Commander."

That brought a start from the others in the room. Goren clenched his jaw before nodding. "I understand…"

"But, sir!" protested one officer. "Surely you don't think…"

"The man is going to his death, Lieutenant," cut in Lagan sharply. "He knew that, so did we when we let him go. But this is the strike we need, and he knew that. He did his duty, now we have to do ours." His eyes burned as he turned back to the monitor. "We must free Arcadia, no matter the cost."

Goren turned back to the monitor as well, watching as the flickering light of Commander Andrew Darkstar sped towards the TSAB lines. Despite himself, despite everything, he whispered softly so no one else could hear, "Don't die, Andrew."

Hayate Yagami breathed deeply. Her second volley was finished, and another several Arcadian positions had been leveled. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about the Arcadians around Port Brenner and South Reach; there was too much of a risk of civilians being caught in the blasts. Even with Rein handling fire control, Hayate's Hræsvelgr was only accurate to within 100 meters. With a blast radius large enough to wipe out a couple city blocks in one blow, she couldn't afford to fire into populated areas.

Unfortunately, now that the Arcadians were getting wind of Hayate's intentions, they were able to hunker down and pull back after seeing the TSAB troops evacuate a region in preparation for Hayate's strike, so the casualties were dropping even further. Still, the infrastructure was still being taken out and that was her real goal. As she floated down to meet up with the rest of the force to move out, Fate approached her directly.

"Hayate, we're getting reports in. Andrew Darkstar flew over the line several minutes ago," the blonde woman told her.

Hayate frowned, and contacted Nanoha at the command center. "Nanoha-chan…"

Nanoha nodded on the small holographic screen. "We see it. He's not heading towards you, though… We're not sure what his target is quite yet; he's weaving around a bit, but it's definitely a deep strike of some kind. The best thing…" There was a pause and a flicker of static. "Hang on…"

On the screen, Nanoha turned to talk with another officer for a moment before turning back. "We think he just blew up a repeater tower. It's disrupted our communications and monitoring a bit. For now, Hayate-chan, I think the best thing is for you to continue on; it'd take you and Fate-chan a half hour to reach the area, and we're having trouble fixing his precise location. I'll let you know if anything changes."

Hayate nodded as the screen flickered off. She turned back to Fate, whose face looked a bit concerned. Fate clearly wanted to abandon their mission and go after Andrew Darkstar directly; a tactic that Hayate couldn't really disagree with, inasmuch as it'd be their best chance to shoot him down, but they had other concerns. If they pressed on, it wouldn't matter what Andrew Darkstar was up to. "Well, I guess we should head for the next target point. We'll have to trust Nanoha-chan to take care of things."

Fate lowered her eyes before finally nodding. "Alright. Let's go."

Andrew Darkstar was flying as low as he dared, the late afternoon sky dark with ominous clouds. Here, miles beyond the front lines with no possibility of reinforcement, he knew he had to do his best to avoid detection, or at least interception until he was in range of his target. The downed repeater towers in his wake were part of his efforts to disrupt communications and control in this area, and his only real chance of making it through without them getting an exact fix on him, though it'd give them a trail to follow him in with. Still, with so much of their infrastructure destroyed and with his low level flight at subsonic speeds, it'd be hard for them to pick him up... At least harder than if he had flown in directly against Colonel Yagami. As a consequence, however, his flight time was far longer than usual for this sort of distance.

Coming to a hover, he spotted the facility a few kilometers away. Beside it was a sprawling TSAB base which was mostly empty, its forces being detailed to the front. Still, the hospital wing was probably full, and there'd be numerous support staff around. He'd have to be careful; the command center was his only target.

He lined up his attack. He had to take out their communications with his first hit from long range, or they'd be all over him. At best, it'd only give him another five or ten minutes beyond the transit time for forces to get here, but it was better than nothing at all.

"Shooting Star, lock-on," he ordered as a light drizzle began to fall around him.

"Coordinates set. Prepared to engaged," confirmed his device.

"OK. Meteor Snipe." The long range variant of his Meteor Strike, this attack sacrificed most of its power and area effect for precision and distance. The low tone chimed as Shooting Star locked in the coordinates and adjustments. At this distance, the sophisticated systems within his device would have to make slight adjustments to an ordinary shot to account for curvature and the planet's rotation. "Execute."

With a small flash, the shot took off, homing in on its destination.

Hayate started, looking down at Fate. "Fate-chan, something's gone wrong. Rein says she just lost the telemetry from the command center."

Fate's eyes widened slightly, looking off into the distance towards the command center, hundreds of miles away. "Oh no… He went there."

"Even at top speed… It'd take over half an hour to get back," Hayate murmured, dismayed. Fate could probably get back a little quicker than that, but Hayate wasn't as fast in the air. If it was Andrew Darkstar, then they shouldn't allow themselves to be separated.

Fate bit her lip as the two headed for the command post, desperate to reach their friend. "Nanoha… Please hold on."

Andrew watched as the communications array on the roof exploded in a fireball. Impassively, he tucked away his device before heading back in, blazing forwards at full speed. There was no need for subtlety now; they'd know he was here. His only chance to get out of this then would be to go in full bore and take out the building as fast as he could.

When he closed to within a kilometer, he lined up a shot. From this distance, he could hear the alarm klaxons blaring across the base, mingled with the constant staccato of the ever increasing rainfall. This was it.

"Solar Wind! Execute!"

The cerulean beam lanced forward to envelope the gray building. At the last instant before impact, a large pink sigil sprung to life in the path of his attack. Gritting his teeth, he poured on the power, but the barrier crackled mightily and held fast. As the smoke from the impact cleared, he spotted her—the woman with long auburn hair dressed in white.

"Nanoha Takamachi," he breathed.

Nanoha breathed heavily. Taking that blow had required a lot of energy. She knew now what he hadn't before; in terms of raw magical power there was no way for her to match this guy. As a SS mage, he probably had at least a quarter more energy than she did, probably more, especially in her weakened state. This wasn't a battle she could settle with power alone. But could she really outmaneuver him after last time?

Silently, she tightened her grip on her staff, clear blue eyes seeing nothing now except for the man in black opposing her one more time. She'd hold nothing at all back; win or lose, she'd go at him with maximum power.

"Excellion Buster!"

"Solar Wind!"

With a titanic boom, the two beams intersected and detonated. Both combatants maneuvered away rapidly, firing various bolts as they went, twisting through the air in a deadly ballet. Nanoha grit her teeth as one of Andrew's shots deflected off her barriers. His power was so overwhelming. Even in that first exchange of blows, it had been all she could do just to hold him off.

Looping around quickly, Nanoha fired off another Axel Shooter, trying to force him to the defensive. Andrew skidded to a halt, putting up a dual barrier, while summoning a wall of swirling bolts. Nanoha's eyes narrowed; this was his Hurricane Burst. He'd try to surround her and collapse them in his Storm Burst like last time. Leveling her device, she fired another attack straight in.

"Divine Buster!"

Her pink shot blasted through, knocking away most of his bolts and shattering his first barrier to crash against the first. Andrew clenched his jaw, sending his remaining bolts to attack and using his Barrier Purge to escape. As he lined up his next shot, he found Nanoha staring straight at him, determination written on every line on her face.

"Blaster System. Limit 1, release!" she cried firmly.

"Blaster Set," confirmed Raising Heart.

"Let's go, Raising Heart," the White Devil implored, voice steadfast. "Excellion Buster! Boost Shoot!"

Andrew's eyes widened slightly at the monumental power increase from her shot. So this was the power of the Blaster System. "Starfire Break!"

The clash of their blows was fiercer this time, the concussive blast scattering dust and debris across the field below them. Both combatants wasted no time firing more bolts, angling for an advantage.

Andrew focused in on the woman opposing him, forgetting about time constraints, destroying the building, all of it. If he didn't put all his concentration on this, she'd flame him out of the skies. His Starfire Break, which had beaten off her Excellion Buster before, even without his Nova Strike, had been equaled by her Blaster System, even at the first level. She wasn't the sort of combatant who'd back down, and if she continued to use her Blaster to boost her power, their attacks would be on equal footing. He clenched his jaw tightly, evading another set of attacks. He wasn't sure if he could win if it came down to pure skill and tactics. Would he have to use Eclipse Mode?

Another pinpoint strike by her Axel Shooter forced Andrew back on the defensive, but this time, it was her Blaster Bits, the satellite attacking elements, which launched the next attack.

"Flash Move!"

In an instant, Nanoha was behind him while he defended from the attacks from her device. Orange spear of her Strike Flame protruding, she slashed at his exposed flank. Just pulling back in time, Andrew felt her pierce his barrier and to his own amazement, saw a trail of his own blood follow her blow.

She locked eyes with her opponent, seeing surprise flicker on his face for an instant, before those dark hazel pupils narrowed and he extended a finger at her even as they brought their devices about for another clash.

"Parallel Lock."

She gasped shortly with recognition, leaping backwards. He had established a lock on Vita during their fight, using a binding spell to allow his bolts to track her automatically. Had he gotten her? No, the binding hadn't taken hold.

"Master!"

With a start at Raising Heart's warning, she put up a barrier just in time to catch the bolts he had summoned behind her. _He's going to attack with his short range charge shot!_ Wheeling about, she formed another barrier just in time as his Comet Pierce struck.

"Restrict Lock."

Growling with surprise, Andrew found himself held fast by her bind. The woman drifted a short distance away, magic sigil appearing, along with a large volume of magic. Face tightening, he recognized this. She was collecting residual magic from the surrounding area, preparing to ignite it with her own into a devastating tidal wave of power. This was Nanoha Takamachi's ultimate attack, Starlight Breaker.

With a few of her Axel Shots whirling about, it was too dangerous to use a Barrier Purge to escape. He had to interrupt her spell. Her Starlight Breaker would take a few seconds to charge. Pointing a single finger straight at her, he charged his own small sphere of energy.

"Meteor Snipe."

The shot whizzed past her. Not having had time to aim, not to mention the difficulty of firing without device assistance, he hadn't hit her straight on. Still, she jerked to the side as a small bloody line appeared on her cheek. When she looked back, Andrew Darkstar had escaped.

Canceling her spell left her breathing heavily. She spotted him then, above her, hovering a distance away but not making any aggressive moves. They watched each other for a long moment, neither noticing the rain stinging at their wounds, nor worrying about the fatigue each felt.

It was Nanoha who broke the silence. "Why… Why can't you end this?" she pleaded quietly. "Isn't this enough? Hasn't there been enough death?"

Andrew didn't answer for a moment, while the quiet roar of falling water surrounded them. "It's not a question that can be answered so simply, Captain Takamachi," he told her solemnly. "This war? Is all this destruction enough? What about my people? Aren't the years they've spent under the thumb of the TSAB enough?" He shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry, Captain Takamachi… But this isn't something that can be so easily decided. I can't back down… Not when we're so close now."

He sounds so sad when he says that, thought Nanoha. And it makes me sad, too, she realized, hearing that there's no way to talk our problems out, hearing that violence is the only solution here. Steadying herself and gripping her staff tightly, she lifted her chin, staring hard, matching his determination with her own. "And I can't back down, either, Commander… So, let's finish this, you and I."

As they tensed themselves for the continuation, Nanoha noticed the two small shapes now detaching from Andrew's spear. Those would be his Satellite Stars, which operated like her Blaster Bits. This was going to get really tough now.

Andrew leveled his device, wiping away all doubts and fears. "Let's go, Captain Takamachi. Starfire Break!"

"Excellion Buster!"

Nanoha grimaced as their beams collided again. She'd been using Blaster 1 for several minutes now. While it gave her enough power to match Andrew Darkstar, she was still at a disadvantage. While the Blaster System drained her significantly with every shot she made, he was operating under his normal parameters. She'd tire before he did.

Finding herself caught in one of his area binds, she sent a Divine Shooter through the energy ball, before finding another one of his dancing walls of bolts facing her. She intercepted and dodged most before putting up a barrier, only to have Andrew crash into it with another strong blow. Before he could hit her again, though, he was forced to leap back from her own shots crashing into the space between them. As he recovered, she fired her Divine Buster again, this time catching his barrier.

"I've got no choice," she murmured quietly. The longer this battle lasted, the greater advantage he'd have. She needed to overpower him now. _Vivio, Fate-chan… Forgive me._ "Blaster Two!"

"Blaster Second ," affirmed Raising Heart.

_That's not good_. Andrew shut down his barrier, lining up another shot. If her Blaster One was already that strong, then the second level would be… "Solar Wind!"

Nanoha blocked his attack, grimacing as her Blaster System siphoned energy into her barrier. But because of that, her shield held firm even against Andrew's attack. "Blaster Bit, Crystal Cage!"

At once, the two satellites formed their translucent field about Andrew. Instead of detonating his barrier jacket, however, his two Satellite Stars simply fired outward, shattering the bind field. As the debris cleared, he caught a single glimpse of Nanoha before she attacked.

"ACS Driver!" Her Strike Flame once again forming a bright orange spear tip, Nanoha's device sprouted distinct pink wings while a blast of energy jolted her forward.

Andrew barely had time to erect a barrier before she crashed into him. Each of them strained, their bodies tense as the one tried to pierce through that shining shield and the other tried to hold her off. Hard hazel eyes met steel blue. "I won't," stated Nanoha firmly, "let you hurt anyone else."

"Standby, ready," announced Raising Heart.

"Break Shoot!"

Andrew just caught a glimpse of the tip of her spear edging through his field, urged on by the iron will of this woman, backed up by the unflagging strength of her device, when the intense light washed over him.

Nanoha hovered, grimacing heavily and gripping her ribs gingerly. That last attack had taken a lot out of her. In her current condition, Blaster Two was about all she could manage. Even so, it had been just barely enough to break through that man's defenses. She watched his smoking body slowly spiral down and softly land amidst the now muddy field beyond the base. "It looks like… We did it, Raising Heart."

"Yes, my master."

Blinking her eyes a few times, Nanoha suddenly recalled how Andrew had apparently used a binding spell to prevent Signum from crashing into the ground after their duel. Lowering her gaze, she figured she owed the man to at least check on his vitals. As she drifted down, however, she caught herself and stared incredulously.

Impossibly, he had staggered to his feet. Barrier jacket ruined in several places, body bruised here and there, and yet still he straightened and stared up at her, eyes like granite. "It was my mistake this time, Captain Takamachi, for underestimating you… Underestimating how far you'd go. I apologize for doubting your resolution," he told her, voice unwavering despite his dilapidated appearance at the moment.

"Master…" Shooting Star's voice hesitated for a moment. Even if he didn't show it, his body had taken tremendous shock damage in that last attack, to say nothing of the wound on his side, which still trickled blood.

Andrew shook his head. "We've got to go all the way, Shooting Star. Are you ready?"

After just an instant, the device, its cool tones returned, "Yes. Prepared to engage."

Andrew gripped his device tightly, staring hard up at the woman who opposed him so strongly. "Overdrive."

"Eclipse Mode," confirmed Shooting Star. Eclipse Mode could keep him fighting, even if only a moment before he was at his limit. But to use it now, the strain on his body would be immense. And if he couldn't finish it quickly… it'd all be over.

At once, ragged black threads began appearing, surrounding Andrew in their unearthly pall. Even from her distance, Nanoha could feel energy leaking through. "This is… what he used against Subaru and Tea," she murmured. She couldn't afford to hesitate.

"Standby, ready."

"Excellion Buster!"

"Starfire Break!"

They fired at the same instant, Nanoha's overflowing pink beam crashing against Andrew's azure one. The impact of Andrew's attack hit her like a freight train. Even in Blaster Two, she felt herself being pushed back. "No way…"

Gritting her teeth, Nanoha forced more power into her shot, and this time, the detonation washed over the both of them, buffeting the air about the two combats like an enormous pair of wings. Despite that, Andrew rose like a bullet from the ground, unleashing a massive storm of projectiles at Nanoha.

Firing back and dodging, she felt suddenly like a small thread had wrapped about her ankle. Glancing down, she saw his bind field and quickly put a shot through it.

"Warp Move."

In a flash, he was next to her, foot driving into her side before she could defend. Gasping, she managed to right herself just as he leveled his device. "Protection EX!"

"Comet Breaker."

His charging attack crashed into her barrier, sending crackling energy across its surface. Once again, their bodies strained, eyes locking onto one another. Without wavering an inch, he launched his next attack. "Cosmic Blast, Hurricane Burst."

The wave of projectiles hurled themselves at her, and she was forced to detonate her own barrier, using a Flash Move to escape above. Even as she righted herself, the blue bolts danced, turning to pursue. As she sent her own Axel Shooter to intercept them, a spark of movement caught her attention as he used his own movement magic to take her flank again.

"Solar Cross Break."

His triple beamed attack coursed through the skies and she had to defend again. This time, though, her barrier crackled and shattered, and pain flashed through her shoulder as she caught a glancing hit. Sliding to the side, she fired her own attack.

"Divine Buster!"

Even as he caught her beam on his barrier, he sent another wave of bolts at her and she danced through the skies, trying to find another opening to attack. His attacks were coming so strong, so fast now. She couldn't believe he had this much power. Even with her Blaster Two, she was being overwhelmed.

Both of them held fast for a moment, their breath ragged. Andrew had clearly taken a lot of damage from Nanoha's earlier attack, but she was being chipped away at, both by his attacks and the use of her Blaster. Neither had too much strength left. In that one instant, hanging in the air before each other, staring across the field, both of them soaking wet, their barriers no longer able to keep out the weather, they understood that.

"I guess this is about it, Captain Takamachi," murmured Andrew raggedly. He had the advantage at the moment with his Eclipse Mode, but no system this strong came without risks. In his current state, he didn't have much left.

"It looks that way," she affirmed, her body feeling about as bad as he sounded. Maybe she could win if she went to Blaster Three, but… Could she really risk it? Could she really do that to Vivio?

"Why don't you use the last level of your Blaster System?" he asked lowly, voicing her thoughts.

Nanoha's fingers tightened about her device. Even as they talked, neither showed any openings at all, bodies still tense despite their injuries. "I… I have a responsibility. Not just to win, but to go home safely. That's what it means to be a mother, and to fight for the people you care about."

Andrew's eyes flickered for a moment, but if anything else passed on his face, Nanoha couldn't see. "Is that so," he murmured, having to fight to keep his focus. "Alright." He leveled his device at Nanoha, black aura whipping about him like a storm. "This is going to be the last blow. I'll match my resolve against yours, Captain Takamachi."

She leveled her own weapon, every part of her body aching. "I'll accept that, Commander Darkstar," she responded evenly.

For an instant, neither moved. Then…

As Andrew's Satellite Stars locked in, charging their attack, putting everything into this last shot, Nanoha's own buster built up energy, taking in every scrap of magic surrounding them. Neither broke their eyes away from the stare that linked them across the expanse. Neither was going to hold anything back at all.

"One last time, Shooting Star," Andrew whispered.

"I'm counting on you, Raising Heart," entreated Nanoha softly.

"Prepared to engage."

"Standby, ready."

For the last time, they steadied themselves, and fired.

"Let's go," Andrew breathed. His Satellite Stars erupted simultaneously with his main device. "Starfire Link Break!" The three Starfire Break attacks coalesced and combined into one colossal beam, stretching towards the woman in white.

"_Maximum power_!" cried Nanoha. "Starlight Breaker!" The massive, roiling storm of magic burst, ignited by her magic, and the titanic tongue of power rolled across the sky, reaching for the man in black.

Only for a moment did those two beams cross, fighting against each other, raging like angry volcanoes before a thunderclap split the sky, and the two combatants were lost in a shockwave that surely had been felt across the world.

Nanoha groaned heavily. Everything hurt; her legs, her chest, her arms, her head, she even felt it in her very bones. Bracing herself and clenching her teeth, she tried to stand, but her legs didn't seem to be working quite right. She coughed, and the pain in her side intensified. She hoped she hadn't broken her ribs. She couldn't see anything through the smoke as her eyes scanned about. There didn't seem to be anything to do but lay here in the mud.

"At least… it looks like we won, huh?" she murmured. She felt about as bad as she had after the battle on the Cradle, and she hadn't even gone to Blaster Three. That Andrew Darkstar…

_Clomp…_

Eyes flickering, she turned her head. What had that been?

_Clomp…_

An unsteady beat, growing stronger with each passing second. When she saw it, she couldn't believe her eyes. Staggering through the cloud of debris and the driving rain, barrier jacket torn apart, face and limbs bloody, limping precariously, was Andrew Darkstar.

Even through the rain, she could hear his ragged breath, coming in hard gulps. He looked even worse than she felt. But still he lurched on. Once more, she struggled to stand, but once more, her body failed her. And he stepped on, drawing closer with each second.

He stopped a few steps short of Nanoha, the only sound his shallow rasps and the constant beat of the rain, interspersed with her own heartbeat.

""Looks like… I win…" he coughed out. His hand trembled as he tried to raise his device which had been dragging behind him. All that rushed through his head right now was the fact that, even if he was standing and she was not, he had failed. He could barely fight, the command center was still standing, and everything he had worked for was slipping away. And it was this woman's fault.

This… could be it, Nanoha realized. After everything… she was going to die here. "Vivio…" she whispered, and she couldn't tell if the water on her face was rain or tears.

Andrew froze. Could he really do it? Really kill this woman laying helplessly, while her daughter, her smiling daughter with the beautiful eyes, waited anxiously at home? Slowly, he lowered his device. No, he finally decided. Maybe he could justify killing soldiers on a battlefield, but not this, no matter what else it meant. Not if he couldn't even kill her the first time. Now, after looking into her eyes like this, after seeing Vivio locked in that cell, and seeing how Nanoha had looked at her daughter, he couldn't. The moment passed. He was himself again.

As his breath slowed, he glanced at his still trembling hand, and realized it didn't seem like he could have done it even if he wanted to—the tip of his device was still pointed at the ground even now despite his efforts to raise his arm. Suddenly, his strength left him, and he toppled to one knee in front of Nanoha, coughing. _I guess it's more like a draw_, he thought bitterly. _Neither of us can fight right now._

A loud hum overhead startled him out of his thoughts. Nanoha likewise tilted her head as best she could. Dark shapes passed over them, screaming now like birds of prey. There was a distant roar, and the edge of her vision became tinged with orange.

"What the…" Andrew stared as the base beside them erupted into flame. Suddenly, he became aware of the whistling noise of bombs falling about them. It would be difficult enough to evade in his condition—he wasn't sure he could even fly, let alone stand, but this woman… With a glance back at Nanoha, lying helplessly on the ground, he grit his teeth and activated his barriers, placing a shimmering dome of blue between the two of them and the falling munitions.

An instant later, the world around them turned to fire, then to utter blackness.

_Author's Note: Aaaand… well, honestly, I see it more as a draw. Andrew defeated Nanoha just baaaaarely, but can't bring himself to finish her off (the only reason he even though about it was that he was so pissed off about everything he was still in his Black Reaper mentality), nor does it seem like he has enough strength left to do it anyway, and is so beat up in the process only God knows what's keeping him standing. As for what happened to them… Well, no, they aren't dead. This fic is about them, remember? I'll admit to a lot of trepidation about this particular duel, given its importance in the story. I think it worked out well. I hope whoever is still reading agrees._


	10. Chapter 10

_Author's Note: severstal: I sent you a private message about this already, but I wanted to thank you for rapping me on the head for allowing myself to be too wishy-washy and deviating from the story I had written—even if other people disagreed, it was a mistake, and I apologize. I still don't know what I'm going to do about the propaganda thing..._

A soft sound brought Andrew Darkstar drifting back to consciousness. It was a voice, he realized an instant later, like a mother's soothing lullaby. Where was it coming from? He slowly tried opening his eyes, to find the source.

As his eyelids cracked open, the only he saw, in the darkness surrounding him, were two orbs of the purest blue watching, unblinking. He stared, transfixed. Could he possibly be dead? Did this voice and these eyes belong to an angel? As the pain flooded back into his body, he decided he couldn't be dead; if so, why did everything hurt so badly? He groaned, trying to lift his head.

"Don't try to move," warned the voice in gentle feminine tones as a soft hand pressed against his shoulder. Despite the tender touch, he still felt fire play across his body and he slumped back down.

Slowly, she pulled back. Andrew blinked, stunned into paralysis by what he saw as his vision resolved into a firm image. It was Nanoha Takamachi, leaning over him, her clear blue eyes casting a quick glance across, auburn hair drooping beside her limply, its tendrils damp with the heavy rain that surely still fell, though he couldn't hear it. He felt his face grow hot, embarrassed at his ludicrous reaction to her. She was an attractive woman, to be sure—_Did I really just think that?_ he wondered—but really? Get ahold of yourself, he admonished himself tightly.

"Uh… What… Where are we?" he groaned heavily. He was propped up against a rock, he realized, Nanoha kneeling in front of him, her white skirts dirty from the soaked grit and mud around them.

Nanoha leaned back on her haunches, lips pursed for a moment. "It looks like we're in the remains of a cave that got exposed by the bombs around us. We must have fallen in and gotten buried by debris. You were unconscious when I came to, and I have to say, you look worse off than me."

Andrew grimaced, following her gaze about their surroundings. Still trying to shake off his initial impression a moment ago, he asked, "Did you get a look at those bombers?"

She shook her head, ponytail flopping over her left shoulder, waterlogged as it seemed be. "Mmm… I couldn't recognize them."

Andrew frowned, sighing heavily. He hoped they weren't Arcadian… He had held them out the fighting since they were really only good for mass attacks against lightly defended areas, and since they might need them against the TSAB fleet if they had to run, but who knows what Lagan might be doing in his absence… But then, General Goren would have also had to approve such a strike. He wouldn't have, would he? Looking back at Nanoha, he suddenly realized he should say something. After all, she had been checking on him, and all he was doing was asking questions. "Um… Thank you, by the way. For looking after me," he added quickly.

Her eyes flickered with surprise and she glanced away for a moment. "Oh, no, it's not a problem. It was the least I could after…" She paused, looking back at him. "After you saved me from the bombers."

This time it was Andrew's turn to be surprised. Right, he had done that, hadn't he? He'd erected a barrier and gotten himself hurt even worse trying to save her. "Oh, yeah… I guess we're even then."

Nanoha tilted her head slightly, a hint of a smile passing her lips before she nodded and leaned back against the wall facing him. She looked around again, sighing heavily. "I'm guessing neither of us has the strength to blast out of here at the moment," she said heavily.

Andrew shook his head. "I doubt it… There could be several tons of rocks over our heads. I doubt I could even reform my barrier jacket right now," he remarked, indicating his torn clothing. It was a consequence of using Eclipse Mode, he didn't add. He suspected it was the same for her Blaster System.

"Yeah…" she whispered. Glancing back at him, she asked suddenly, "I'm a little bit curious, though. Why did you save me?"

Andrew blinked, surprised by her question. "I guess… I thought you didn't deserve to die. No," he corrected, shaking his head. "That's not quite it. I didn't want you to die. Because…" He paused looking away, voice dropping. "I didn't want that kid to be sad," he finished quietly.

Nanoha stared at him silently for a moment. It was true… Just when she thought he was going to finish her off, she had whispered Vivio's name, and he had stopped. But that didn't quite explain why he had then risked his life to save hers; after all, it hadn't looked like he had actually had the strength to attack her in the end and protecting her was something else—it certainly would have taken less power to only save himself. "Is that really all?"

He shrugged, even though moving like that caused pain to shoot through his body. He tried not to show it. "That child… Vivio, right? I thought she needed her mother." His voice trailed off again, and Nanoha had to strain to hear. "I guess I thought there had been enough suffering, Captain Takamachi."

"Yeah, I guess there has," she replied, not quite keeping the accusatory note out of her voice.

Despite their situation, Andrew couldn't help but rise to the bait. "What do you want me to say? That this invasion is causing suffering? You're right, it is. I've tried to minimize it the best I could, but there is suffering. People are dying, but I don't know what else I can do. My people have been suffering for a century. We're dying a slow death under the hands of the TSAB, and I don't know what to do about it," he cried desperately.

"The solution can't be to cause other people pain," she countered. "What about the families of the men and women you've killed. They don't have anything to do with this. What about the civilians who've had their homes taken over or destroyed? Those people at South Reach, the children at Port Brenner…"

"I saved those people at South Reach! I saved those children at Port Brenner, I even disobeyed my superiors to save Vivio!" he shouted, then grimaced with pain. He felt like someone had stabbed him in the side. Breathing deeply, he tried to calm down.

Nanoha watched him for a moment, feeling a bit guilty. But she shook it off and continued in. "I know… But why? You said children don't have anything to do with this fight, but neither do any of the people you're hurting. It was 90 years ago."

"Maybe for you… but we're living it every day. Every single moment we're reminded by the ruins of the cities which are still there. We couldn't even clear the wreckage, search for bodies, bury the dead." He clenched his jaw, eyes full with more than just physical pain now, and Nanoha recoiled. His eyes stared into the distance, seeing horrors a galaxy away. "The TSA Council controls almost all spending on Arcadia. A committee of seven people chosen by the Council determines 95% of our budget. Only 5% is given to the Senate for discretionary purposes, and even that has to be authorized through the Council. We couldn't even begin to relieve the suffering of our world with that. The only people who helped us was the Saint Church, and they could only do so much. No, your people don't deserve to suffer, Captain Takamachi, but neither do mine. So where does it end?" he asked heavily, voice cracking.

Nanoha stared at him, dismayed. She didn't know too much about the bombing of Arcadia. She knew it happened, warships bombarding from orbit, and that the death toll, around 39 million, had been catastrophic. They had fought wildly, even with no chance of winning, causing huge casualties amongst the TSAB forces, already weary from trying to hold together the newly united dimensions. Yet, the TSAB had demanded the Arcadians submit to them, rather than a more conciliatory tone, and their commanders had authorized terrible acts, and worse still, the Council had allowed them to get away with it, so strong had their fear of disaster been. "I don't know," she admitted weakly. "Your people, they've been terribly wronged, I know… but I can't condone this. Nothing can possibly justify this."

Nothing was said between them for a long time, until Andrew started speaking again, quietly, almost as if he were talking to himself. "At first all we asked for was more funding, to try and clear wreckage, repair damages. We were furious, but we knew there was no hope for freedom then, even though a few partisans conducted useless attacks for years. But that plea was ignored, time and again. The Council had declared us a continuing threat to Dimensional peace, after all. So, after a while, we just stopped asking. Twenty years later, we tried asking for full membership in the TSA, but that was refused too; they thought we'd use the opportunity to break away once the garrison was gone. Well," he chuckled weakly, "it's not like they were wrong, after all. Even ignoring the bombing, our people were still galled at that point at the arrogance of the TSAB for appointing themselves the ultimate authority in matters of potentially dangerous magic and technology. Fifty years ago we finally worked up the courage to ask for independence, and were refused. After our third plea, they stopped even letting our representative into chambers. Forty years ago, there was an abortive rebellion by a few people, supported by a couple of the smaller noble families, but they didn't even get past the TSAB garrison. Shortly afterward, the Senate tried bargaining again, but they were rebuffed, and accused of supporting the rebellion. At that point, they decided… this was all we had left." He looked over at Nanoha, eyes empty. "Talking… we didn't even get to the negotiating table. They'll never let us go. They can't admit to their crimes. Don't you see? We're desperate. If you walked the surface of Arcadia, you might not see that anything's wrong, but… everyone feels it. We're not masters of our own fate. The TSA is the one pulling the strings, and we're just puppets."

Nanoha wasn't sure what to say to him. The rift between his people and the TSA was so wide. Was it really true then, that nothing could be said? "Why did they force you in, in the first place?" she finally asked.

Andrew sighed, hefting his wrist where his device sat, inactive. "They wanted to unify all of Dimensional Space, create a place where the terrible wars of Ancient Belka couldn't occur. Not that I think that's a bad thing, but I guess they didn't realize not everyone wanted the same things they did. The TSAB appointed itself the universal authority on right and wrong, of law and order. Certainly peace is better than war, and certainly dangerous Lost Logia have to be controlled… But shouldn't all worlds have the right to choose their own path? All we wanted was to be left alone. Beyond that, Arcadia is… was a rich planet. Ore mines, crystal deposits, food production… Uleri crystals were a major reason." He held his wrist out, aching joints seeming to creak even with that minimal movement. The blue crystals set in steel gray seemed to twinkle even in the half-light. "They're greatly prized for use in creating the circuitry of intelligent devices. Arcadia is the largest source of them in Dimensional Space. You should know how much high quality devices cost. What do you think the best raw materials for them would be worth?" he asked rhetorically.

Nanoha shuddered. That would be worth a lot… Enough to kill for, to go to war for? Some people might think so, she supposed. She looked up. "You said it _was_ a rich world?"

He nodded. "Yeah. We spent so much money fighting the TSAB the first time, the planet's economy was in ruins by the end. With so little discretionary spending… It's taken this entire time for us to get close to where we were, and all trade is controlled by the TSA. In order to fund this venture, most of the remaining noble families, like mine, had to drain their coffers and the Senate made a lot of black market deals." He smiled crookedly. "It's not easy secretly building a fleet and training an army, you know."

"Noble families, huh?" she commented. "I thought you said you had a Senate."

He nodded. "We do. The noble families don't have any official power. We're just relics of a past age. The head of one of the families, named Kyle Garringhold, formed an alliance with most of the others, and we founded the Senate. Well, he also wiped out those who wouldn't go along; it's not like our own history is one big happy time. But no, we're more like industrialists these days," he laughed, then grimaced again at the pain shooting through him. It felt like he must have several broken bones, on top of the damage to his Linker Core and magic channel connections from using Eclipse.

Nanoha's face fell with concern. "Hey, you should be a little more careful," she warned. "I think you ended up hurt worse than me, after taking that bomb hit."

Andrew sighed heavily. "Probably… But even if it hurts, even if we're like this, it feels good to be able to laugh a bit, right?" he said, smiling slightly.

Despite herself, Nanoha smiled in return. "You really are strange," she remarked. "Telling depressing stories one moment, and laughing the next."

Andrew chuckled. "That's me, one mess of contradictions. And what about you?" he remarked.

Nanoha frowned. "What about me?"

"Well, one moment you're a kind, gentle mother, in the next, you're the fearsome White Devil."

Nanoha sighed heavily. So even that name had gotten as far as the Arcadian forces, huh? What was the world coming to? "I guess. But, I just want to protect the people important to me. Who wouldn't give it their best to do that?" She raised her chin, looking up at the dark ceiling as if the sky was above them. "That's why I fight. It's why I decided to follow this path. I wanted the strength to protect what was important to me. Now, my responsibility as an instructor is to see that other people come home safely, and my responsibility as a mother is to come home to my daughter." She looked at Andrew seriously, though her face wasn't stern. "That's what I fight for. What about you?"

"It's my duty, as a soldier, as the scion of the Darkstars, to free Arcadia," he replied, too automatically. Nanoha fixed him with a dubious look and he sighed. "No, you're right, that isn't why. To be honest… I know. I know that coming here, killing people, causing suffering, all of it is wrong," he admitted slowly. Nanoha sat up, watching him carefully, and gestured for him to continue. "I don't want to fight. I thought I could justify fighting and killing soldiers. That's their duty, right? But that didn't sit well, even then… Sometimes I see their faces, knowing that they were someone's son or daughter, father, mother, husband or wife… I knew that they were making me into a human weapon, to be directed at the TSAB and let loose, and I accepted that role, even knowing what it would mean because it was the only way I could find to free Arcadia. Even if I had to become a villain, I vowed to free my people."

"But even then, you wouldn't attack civilian targets directly," Nanoha pointed out. "Because inside, even if you tried to kill off your humanity to be the soldier they needed, you knew it was wrong, right?"

Andrew nodded. "All I want… the only thing I want…" He paused, thinking of everything he'd seen on his world, everything he'd heard and read. "I want the sun to rise on a free Arcadia. The people are wasting away, little by little. Every day they become less and less. So much has gone wrong… I want the people of my world to look up at the sky and smile and know that their path is the one they chose. To do that, I chose this, to be the man they needed, to be the soldier they required…I became the Black Reaper. What else could I do? There didn't seem to be any choice left. We had tried so hard… but this seemed to be the only thing left. Even if it was so dangerous, such a terrible risk, it seemed like our only choice, so that's why I decided to follow this path. There have been so many mistakes made, but if we made just one more, it could end everything we've worked so hard for… If this is where we were going I had to be here, to do everything I could to protect our people. Because even so, even if we were so desperate… How could I buy my people's freedom with the blood of innocents, of children, of other people who only want to live their lives in peace, the way I want my people to be able to live? How could I face my parents' graves like that? More than that, it would end us, only invite destruction back on us… I couldn't let that happen." His voice quavered as he voiced his deepest fears, worries, and hopes to this woman who simply sat and watched and listened. This woman who didn't want anything from him except honesty.

Nanoha's face softened as Andrew poured out his heart. She wondered if he knew there were tears streaming down his face now. He was searching for answers, she could see, desperately searching for answers, but there was no one who could help him. His parents' graves… So they were dead, then. His superiors didn't trust him from what Carim had told her. They had fashioned him into a weapon. Recognizing what lay within his heart, knowing it was what she had felt so strongly long ago, she sat up, compassionate eyes locking on his.

"You're very lonely, aren't you?" she asked softly.

Startled by her declaration, he froze. He wanted to look away from her, but something kept him staring, face to face, and eye to eye. There had been no rancor, no judgment, no pity in her voice, and there was nothing but kindness in her expression. Her words echoed in his head and finally, he caught the note in her voice, telling him it was alright, that she understood, that she had felt it too.

"I've given everything for Arcadia," he whispered.

"You're ready to give even more," she observed, "You've trained as a mage, you've lost your family, you've trained more soldiers, and you're ready to give up your life itself… And it's left you very lonely, hasn't it?"

It took him a long time to answer her, dark, wretched thoughts tumbling through his head. "Yes… I have a mentor, not a father. I have troops, not friends. I have an empty house. All I have is my mission," he finished slowly.

"It's hard, isn't it?" she asked. "You've dedicated everything to your dream, to free your people."

"All I want is for them to be free… I've never had anything personal to protect like you. This dream is all I have… I'm so close," he murmured despairingly, "but it's still too far to grasp…"

"Mmm," she replied, shaking her head. "No it isn't… When this ends, no matter what the result is, I'll help you," she told him.

Andrew stared hard at the auburn haired woman, disbelieving. "What? Why would you… after all this…?"

"Because," she replied, smiling gently, "your heart is honest, even if you've ended up doing things that are wrong. And I think, as much as other people are suffering, you're suffering even more. It's so hard, when you try to do the right thing but end up managing to do the thing you're trying to avoid in the process."

"But I… I killed a lot of soldiers… I shot down Enforcer Testarossa Harlaown, Lieutenant Vita, Lieutenant Signum, I hurt you, Captain Takamachi," he protested. "You shouldn't put your career, your reputation on the line for me."

She shook her head. "Yeah… But you didn't kill Fate-chan, Vita-chan, or Signum-san, when you could've. And you honestly tried to avoid hurting innocent people. You worked hard to save those children, and you brought Vivio back to me." She leaned forward, blue eyes sending shivers down his spine, like she could see into his soul. "You're not a bad person… You just want to take all the burdens of your people onto yourself. You're even willing to be evil so they don't have to, to be the terrible Black Reaper because it was the only way you could fight without breaking yourself. And even then, though it was so hard, you tried to cling to your beliefs. That isn't something a bad person would do. To live through everything you have, to still fight on, to fight as hard as you have for your dream, that's something only a very strong person could do. Not just strong in magic," she said, placing a hand on her chest, "but here, too."

She could tell now, after everything he had said, everything he had done… He wanted so much for the people who relied on him, but what he wanted also was for someone to reach out, to understand him, to share the burdens he had taken. Everyone around him talking about duty, and revenge, and soldiering… but he wanted someone to share his feelings. That's why she could reach him now, where words couldn't before. Because she wanted with all her heart to reach his own. It wasn't something she could have done, without knowing his story. That's why fighting was his only solution; he had walled himself off so much to be able to be strong enough to do what he had to. But she had let him know he wasn't alone. Even if they were enemies again tomorrow, right now, she'd share his burden. No, enemies was too much… He was merely the opponent, nothing more. His desire to protect his dream and her desire to protect her family and friends were at cross-purposes right now, and that was all.

He smiled at her, for real this time, wiping the tears off his face, and she was surprised to find her eyes wet, too. "Really, Captain Takamachi," he remarked dryly, "you're a very strict person, aren't you?" This time, they laughed, and grimaced in pain, together.

Andrew Darkstar blew out a breath. Despite the understanding they'd come to, it didn't change the fact that he and Nanoha Takamachi were stuck down here. It would take a few hours for his magic to recharge to where he'd be able to get out after having used Eclipse Mode in that state. He wasn't sure about Nanoha's Blaster System.

"How are you feeling, Captain Takamachi?" he asked suddenly.

The auburn haired woman blinked. "Oh, you mean my body?" She experimentally stretched her arms and legs, not noticing the blush on his face at her oblique reference. "The pain isn't so bad anymore… But my magical power still isn't up to getting us out," she told him.

"Same here," he replied. He hesitated a moment, then commented, "You know, you surprised me during the fight. When you mentioned getting home safely as the reason to not use the final level of your Blaster, I mean. Is it really that bad?"

Nanoha gripped her abdomen, remembering the terrible battle to rescue her daughter. "It can be. The Blaster System dramatically increases power, at the cost of your own life. Using Blaster Three… I used it at the Battle of the Cradle, to save Vivio… But, it's… damaged me," she finished haltingly.

Andrew crinkled his nose a bit. "Damaged? You mean…?"

She nodded slowly. "My ability to use magic was reduced by 8% following the battle. I've actually been on extended leave, partly to take care of Vivio, but also to let my body heal. Even so, it isn't certain I'll fully recover." She paused, then admitted lowly, "Technically, I don't have the magic power to be considered S+ anymore… My current power's only equivalent to S-rank."

Andrew blinked at that statement. He really hadn't noticed… But then he'd only had sporadic information about her from before then. All he really knew was from his encounters with her and a few sparse reports which weren't much better than news network feed. "You said… It damages your life?" he asked cautiously.

She nodded. "Yeah. It converts body heat, energy for cell metabolism, any extra energy it can take from your body, into magic power and shunts it directly through your Linker Core. Power gets multiplied, but your body and your Linker Core and magic channels get damaged."

Andrew rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So, it's your magic channels that are actually damaged, then… Your Linker Core has probably repaired itself—they're actually pretty resilient when you get down to it—but can't form connections into your body through channels that are closed down."

"That's right." According to Shamal, damage to her Linker Core had been responsible for only about 30% of the damage, while damaged magic channels were responsible for the rest, and some of them were so frayed that it would take nearly a miracle for them to heal. She frowned slightly. "You're awfully interested in this."

Andrew blinked. "Huh? Oh… Well, to be honest, Captain Takamachi, this sort of magic channel damage… I know a lot about it. It's…" His voice trailed off. "It may be possible to repair," he told her finally.

"What?" She sat up, and instantly regretted it. The pain wasn't as bad anymore, but it still hurt to move around too much.

Andrew nodded. "Yeah, I might be able to repair some of the damage. You see, my Eclipse Mode is designed to forcibly open magic channels and blast a higher than normal amount of energy through the Linker Core. Unlike your Blaster, this is a constant process, so it takes damage over time, not by usage, but the principle is the same."

She thought back to their battle, once he had activated his Eclipse Mode. His attacks hadn't just been stronger, they'd been faster, too, she recalled. He didn't have to recharge between attacks; there was simply more energy flowing. In the end, it would probably cause more internal damage than her Blaster, but it was ultimately a more powerful move. "Go on," she encouraged him, curious now.

"Well," he said, shifting slightly, "when magic channels are forced to carry more energy than they're supposed to, they begin to wear out. When usage returns to normal, they start to close down, in order to repair themselves. It's completely an autonomic function. The problem is, your Linker Core is still trying to send power through them, as long as you're trying to use magic. So, they aren't able to heal very effectively because your body's trying to use them and heal them at once. Healing magic helps a bit… but at the end of the day… Well, it's like when your body is under stress, your cardiovascular system responds, your blood pressure goes up, your heart rate goes up and it causes damage. When the stressors go away, you return to normal, but the damage is done, and you're still using your arteries."

Nanoha nodded slowly. "So, what you mean is that if you stopped using magic, your body would heal faster?" That made sense; going on leave meant she wasn't using magic as much, and Shamal had told her that was necessary for her to recover.

"Right, Captain—"

Nanoha lifted a hand suddenly, cutting him off. "Really, um… You don't have to keep calling me Captain Takamachi," she told him exasperatedly. "Just Nanoha is fine; it's what everyone calls me."

He stopped short. Even with everything else… Calling her by just her first name seemed… "Uh… Are you sure? I mean… Even if we get out of here, we might have to fight again, and…"

She shook her head. "That may be so, but… I don't feel like we're enemies anymore, even with that. So… call me Nanoha."

He stared at her silently for a moment, looking a bit lost until finally, "Nanoha… OK. Then… I guess, just Andrew, or Darkstar is OK," he said haltingly.

Nanoha smiled lightly. He really was unused to this. "Alright, Andrew-kun… Then, you were saying?"

"What way I saying?" he wondered for a second. She had thrown him out of sorts a bit, with this entire discussion, and now her professions of… friendship? That thought startled him. He tried to focus back on what he had been talking about, shaking it off for later. "Right, you would heal faster if you didn't use magic. Or," he added, a little darkly, "if you shut down your Linker Core completely."

Nanoha watched him cautiously for a moment. "Shut down your Linker Core? Is that even possible? And would that…"

"Leave you completely unable to use magic," he confirmed. "That's right. But, if you cast a targeted healing spell on yourself, and then shut off your Linker Core, you could do in a few hours what would normally take months, or years. Since the impediment to healing is removed, your body repairs itself better, and it becomes possible to do things you couldn't before, even with healing magic." He smiled slightly, a knowing confident smile she hadn't seen on his face before. "It's one of the things that made the Darkstar mages so feared… We could use Eclipse Mode without restraint because of this spell, Eclipse Recovery. It took us dozens of years of research to finally pull it off, but it's real, and it works."

She stared at him in amazement. He had a spell specifically designed to repair magic channel damage? She'd never heard of such a thing. But if he really could, then… "Hey," she said suddenly, a thought coming to her, "if that's true, why haven't you used it on yourself?"

He shrugged. "Well, until a little while ago, we were enemies, right? I'd be pretty dumb to leave myself helpless in this situation."

She had to concede that point. "So," she said hesitatingly, "you're saying… you'd be willing to use this for me?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that's why I brought it up. Or," he asked, dismayed, "do you not…?"

She shook her head, waving her hands wildly. "Oh, no, if you could actually do that… That'd be great… I mean, Fate-chan would be annoyed and say, 'Nanoha, you're going to use this as an excuse to push yourself too hard!' but it'd be really helpful." She smiled brightly at him. "After the Cradle… I didn't have any regrets, really, because I was able to save Vivio, but… Being a mage is all I had wanted, having the strength to help the people I care about, so… Losing my strength like that, it was a little depressing." She frowned suddenly. "But hey, wait a second, aren't you the guy who was just wondering about calling each other by name? And now you want to cure me?" she commented, poking a finger in his direction.

"Uh," he stuttered for a second. "Well… OK, yeah… It's just…" His voice trailed off, as he thought of the people waiting for her. "I just thought, that girl deserves her mother, I guess." He looked back at Nanoha. "Maybe I can't solve Arcadia's problems, not immediately, but I can help you. Although, to be honest, at first, it won't do much more than stabilize your condition; it'd repair the most damaged magic channels to the point your body could heal them eventually, but they'd still be unusable for the moment. But, even if it might make things a little tougher for me, shouldn't I help someone if I can?"

Nanoha watched him for a moment before closing her eyes and nodding. "Alright. I give in. So… are you alright to do it?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I've got just enough power right now. The spell doesn't actually take much. I should warn you, though," he said suddenly, voice now deadly serious, "your body won't be able to take the strain initially, so I can't do a full session right now, and while you'll probably feel a bit stronger, your body will still be teetering on the edge and you won't actually have recovered any of your ability to channel magic. Using too much power in that state would definitely cripple you further, and beyond a certain level, even this can't fix the damage, so you have to be careful."

She nodded. "OK. Then, let's do it."

Andrew breathed deeply, nodding. "OK. Hold still, Capt…Nanoha." He lifted his arm, palm outwards towards Nanoha. "Hear me, star of creation, come to my hand and become the blessed wind that cradles us and stills thy heart. Look forward without fear, and stand firm against the dark. Eclipse Recovery!"

Immediately, light began to effuse from his palm about her body, spilling over her. It felt warm, she thought, like the embrace of a loved one. The intense white settled slowly and seemed to absorb into her. As the feeling overflowed, suddenly, her heart felt cold, and her body felt empty. "Wha… what is this?" she gasped.

"It'll be alright," Andrew told her firmly. "Don't panic, Nanoha… You probably haven't felt this in a long time… You're cut off from your Linker Core. You can't feel any magic right now."

Nanoha nodded, feeling a chill. It felt a little like the time she'd had her Linker Core drained by the Book of Darkness, during the incident where she met Hayate. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She had been like this for nine years before she became a mage. She could handle an hour or two. Finally quieting her nerves, she could still hear her heart beating loudly in her chest. "How long, do you think?"

"I set it for a half-hour," he told her. "You could probably handle a bit more, but I don't want to shock your system. I've got to use it on myself now, too. It's not absolutely necessary, but it's safer to heal up after each use of Eclipse Mode, or the damage could mount," he explained.

Nanoha nodded, settling herself back and counting the beats of her heart while Andrew performed his spell again. As his voice filled the small cavern, she felt herself drifting off. This time, she embraced the blackness, gratefully falling asleep.

Nanoha's eyes fluttered open. There was a slight drip bouncing off the rocks around her. Glancing about, she found that almost all the pain in her body was gone. More to the point, her barrier jacket had been reconstructed, apparently unconsciously. Andrew Darkstar stood in the center of the cavern, watching her.

Nanoha stood experimentally, testing her limbs; they seemed to be okay. Stretching slightly, she stepped over to Andrew, who was leaning against his deployed device, smiling lightly. "Feeling better, Nanoha?" he asked her.

She nodded, pumping her fist half-jokingly. "Mm-hmm. I feel a lot better. How long was I asleep?" she inquired, deploying her own device nonchalantly.

"About 2 hours," he informed her. He looked up at the ceiling. "I'm pretty well recovered now, though I think we're both still banged up decently. Still, it should be enough to get us out of here." He turned back to Nanoha. "So… after we… well, blast out…"

Nanoha smiled lightly. "I guess it'll be back to our duties for the both of us, huh?"

He nodded. "Yeah… I guess so." He blew out a breath. "We both walk away. I think we've had enough fighting for a little while. Maybe once we're out of here, we can float a peace proposal… Phased in independence, we pay reparations for damages here, something like that. It could work. So, however this ends up… I'm glad we met, Nanoha," he told her, extending a hand.

She accepted it gratefully. "Yeah, I'm glad we met, too, Andrew. Don't stop fighting for your people. Just remember you aren't alone. And," she added, "I really mean it; I'll do anything I can to help you after this is over, win or lose. And who knows, maybe after all this, people will be ready for a peace deal. So, let's go."

"OK," he affirmed, nodding. "Ready?"

"Ready." Nanoha put up a barrier over their heads, deploying her Axel Fin and hovering a few feet off the ground.

"Shooting Star… Solar Flare!"

The cerulean beam which Nanoha had so often been on the other end of shot into the sky, blowing through the rocks above them. As one, the two flew upwards, debris bouncing off Nanoha's barrier. The surface was only about 40 feet above them. Even so, they'd been buried under 20 feet of solid rock. As they rose above the ground, they arrived on the surface…

And stared into a scene from hell. The field and the base beyond it were ablaze. In the far distance, Nanoha could even see suburbs of Cranagan aflame. She gasped at the sight. The bombers from before were still streaking overhead.

Wordlessly, the two of them rose into the air, their attacks ripping one flight apart. As it trailed smoke to the ground, Andrew followed it. _Please, don't be…_ his mind begged silently. Examining the wreckage, however, his fears were confirmed.

"It's an Arcadian attack plane," he told Nanoha, blood draining from his face. "Damn it… After everything…" He stared off at the burning city on the horizon. "After everything… Lagan, I knew, but… Why would Goren go along with this, too? It would've taken both of them to authorize this…"

Andrew collapsed to his knees, feeling sick. Everything he had tried to avoid… Goren had tried to warn him, he realized. He had told him Lagan had support in the Senate, told him their duty was to do whatever they had to… How could he have been so blind? "I was such an idiot… I should have known," he muttered darkly.

Nanoha laid a hand on his shoulder, torn between her rage at this attack and her sympathy for this man whose trust had been torn apart. "You wanted to believe your superiors were good men like yourself, that they wouldn't do this," she old him, trying to be comforting, though she doubted her words would do much to alleviate his guilt.

"I should have tried harder to stop it… I should have guessed from the start, when that bomber hit us… But I didn't want to believe it," he groaned weakly. "Damn you, Lagan…"

Nanoha considered what to do. She needed to contact someone to organize a defense, and start shooting down these planes, but she couldn't very well ask Andrew to help her. These were his own people, his own subordinates. More than that, he still held onto his dream of freeing Arcadia. She couldn't ask him to turn on that.

As she pondered her dilemma, an Arcadian transport touched down beyond them, immediately spilling troops. Nanoha tugged at Andrew's shoulder, and he straightened, stepping forwards.

"General Lagan, General Goren! What's going on here? You authorized this?" he demanded of them, more disbelief than anger in his voice.

Lagan ignored his question. "Commander Darkstar, it's good to see you're alive. When you launched this attack, we feared the worst. And you've even captured the Takamachi woman, I see. Excellent work, Commander."

"General…" Andrew grated out.

Goren stepped forward. "Commander… You have to realize, you were heading to your death with this move. You would've been intercepted and shot down at some point during your return, if not before then. We had to make preparations for that event. Losing you, our best weapon… This was our only alternative. We have to free Arcadia no matter what. The Senate has authorized this, and you're expected to do your duty now," he stated firmly. Even Andrew could tell he would brook no argument.

Lagan nodded to his troops. "Men, disarm and take Takamachi into custody."

"That's Captain Takamachi," Andrew muttered under his breath. Nanoha glanced at him, frowning slightly, and tensing as Lagan's men approached.

Andrew suddenly stepped in front on her, holding an arm out warningly. "No, General, Captain Takamachi is going free. And in the matter of launching attacks on civilians, I refuse. Direct and deliberate attacks on civilians are against the articles of interstellar war now ratified by all known planets in Dimensional Space, including Arcadia, and any such orders to that effect are therefore illegal and unenforceable," Andrew stated evenly, eyes hard.

"Wait, Andrew-kun, don't do this," Nanoha implored quietly.

Lagan's eyes narrowed. "You… refuse? Under the articles of interstellar war that they forced on us? And did the TSAB follow those sorts of rules, when they bombed our world? Our people demand vengeance!" he roared.

Andrew wouldn't budge. "Two wrongs don't make a right… Even if our people are suffering like this… it doesn't make it right to inflict pain on the people living here. Maybe we can justify killing soldiers, but nothing can justify this. And this… Do you have any idea, what this will mean for the rest of our people?"

Lagan's eyes bulged with fury. "Commander, you are under arrest!" he snarled. "Disarm yourself immediately and submit!"

The other men hesitated. This was Andrew Darkstar… Even if they were under orders, he was their Commander, and a SS mage. If he resisted…

Andrew glanced at Nanoha. "Nanoha, go. I'll hold them off here. After all," he added, smiling slightly, even though his eyes were sad, "Vivio is waiting for you."

Nanoha stared at Andrew as he turned back. "No," she whispered.

Andrew frowned. "What?"

She shook her head. "No. I won't let you face this alone. I won't let you add to your burden like this. I told you before… I'll stand together with you, and help you share this load… You don't have to be alone anymore," she told him solemnly, stepping beside him, face set with determination. If he was going to fight his own people, for her sake, she couldn't possibly let him stand alone. No matter what, she had to help him now.

Lagan glared, stepping back, while Goren just stared at Andrew, perplexed at this outcome. "You've signed your own death warrant, Commander," Lagan hissed.

"It won't be the first time," Andrew reminded him acidly.

Lagan sprinted back to the transport along with Goren and a pair of guards. "Take them alive if possible!" he yelled back at the dozen troops arrayed around Andrew and Nanoha now.

The pair stood back to back, assessing their situation. It was true they were both elite combat mages, but they still weren't completely recovered from their own titanic struggle a few hours ago. "How good are these guys?" Nanoha inquired over her shoulder.

"They're Lagan's personal squadron, all AA and AA+ aerial mages," Andrew informed her, voice cool and composed. Nanoha somehow felt reassured hearing that voice on her side and not standing against her.

"OK… You ready?" she asked him. She could feel the tension in his back against hers, and knew how much this had to be hurting him inside.

"Yeah," he replied raggedly. "Let's go."

The pair immediately leapt into action, launching themselves and firing off their projectile attacks. The Arcadian mages meanwhile divided into pairs, one attacking and one defending. The fracas became vicious within seconds. Nanoha could tell these men and women were very talented and well trained. However…

As they moved through the air, even without telepathy, Andrew and Nanoha managed to stick together, covering each other's backs. Already, two opposing pairs had fallen under their concentrated fire. Their battles with each other had been so tense, they had started picking up on the other's rhythm without noticing; that along with their superior flight skills compared the Lagan's troops, meant they were easily outmaneuvering the others, even outnumbered like this.

Two groups tried concentrating their fire, but Andrew deflected their barrage with a barrier, and pirouetted in the air, bringing Nanoha to bear, who swept her fire across them, felling three, before Andrew's bolts took care of the fourth.

With a third of their number down within a minute, the others became more desperate, pressing their attacks, trying to overwhelm Andrew and Nanoha. The pair broke then, firing their bolts in complicated patterns before sweeping across the field, picking off each other's pursuers before meeting back up.

"Not bad, Andrew-kun," complimented Nanoha, grinning softly despite herself.

"Considering how beat up we are, I think anything's pretty impressive right now," he remarked dryly. "But don't let your guard down, yet, there's still five left."

Two more mages fell in the dizzying crossfire before the final three pulled back, cursing the whole way, but far more frightened of the White Devil and the Black Reaper than they were of General Lagan's retribution. Finally, Andrew and Nanoha relaxed a bit, and noticed that the bombing seemed to have broken off for now.

"You alright?" asked Andrew briefly as they floated back down closer to the ground.

Nanoha nodded. "I'm fine. What about you? And I don't just mean physically," she added seriously.

Andrew stopped short, looking down at the fallen bodies of those who had only a little while ago been his comrades in arms. "I… I'm not sure… I can't believe it's come to this…" He glanced back towards the Arcadian lines. "Maybe I should go and turn myself in."

"You saw the way that General Lagan was; you'd be executed for sure!" Nanoha cried, shocked at his suggestion. "You can't think that's right. Even if you did refuse orders, you said it yourself; they're against the articles of war."

Andrew shook his head. "It doesn't matter what I think. That'd be up to a court martial to determine… But in a time of war they can summarily execute someone for disobeying direct orders. I might even deserve it," he put in acerbically.

Nanoha shook her head vigorously, auburn hair flapping about her face. "Don't say that. Don't even think that. You did what you knew to be right. And Andrew," she added seriously, "if you die now, who's going to fight for Arcadia? You know this is going to cause trouble—the Council is already considering an attack on Arcadia. You have to stand up for your people, now more than ever."

Andrew looked away, shoulders slumped, voice thick and heavy. "Is there really any hope left? Really? I've tried so hard… But now…"

Nanoha stepped in closer, face determined. "As long as you believe, there's hope. Hold onto your convictions." She laid a hand on his shoulder, and he finally met her gaze again. "Remember, I'm right here with you, now."

As he opened his mouth to answer her, Nanoha's channel crackled, and a static-filled holographic display popped up. "Nanoha-chan? Are you there? We've been trying to reach you for hours now!" It was Hayate Yagami.

Nanoha peered at the image. "Hayate-chan? I'm here."

Hayate breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. Things have gone from bad to worse. We lost all the feed from the forward command center, and you dropped off all our monitors. We were afraid… We were afraid the worst had happened. Fate-chan was beside herself with worry. But something worse has happened…"

"I know," Nanoha cut in. "The Arcadians have started a massive bombing campaign. I… We got caught in it. Andrew Darkstar is with me right now. We just fought off forces attempting to place us both under arrest."

There was a pause as Hayate stared at Nanoha in disbelief. "You… what?"

Nanoha took a deep breath. "Umm… it's a bit tough to explain, Hayate-chan, but… Andrew-kun didn't have any part in this attack, so his superiors tried to arrest him when he refused to obey their orders to target civilians. Give us the rendezvous coordinates, and we'll meet you there."

Hayate sighed heavily. Another epic clash, another friend added to Nanoha's retinue. She sure was the same old Nanoha. "Alright. Meet us at Fulham Airbase. Fate's on her way from her intercept mission, and I'm already here trying to organize things. And Nanoha-chan," she added, face softening, "I'm glad you're alright."

Nanoha smiled at her old friend. "Thanks, Hayate-chan." She broke the link and turned to Andrew Darkstar. "Are you ready?"

Wordlessly, he nodded, and the two of them took to the skies, both trying to save everything they'd ever known.

_Author's Note: I like to think that this scene was built on the idea that Nanoha doesn't necessarily have to beat the ever living heck out of someone to make friends with them—that it is, in fact, her compassion and kindness that allows her to befriend people, not her demonic level of power. OK, yes, they've both had the ever-living heck beat out of them, but in the end, it's their feelings that give them a connection, and allows them to come to an understanding with each other, and to vow to try and end the war fast. This entire story was built in order to create this one scene where Nanoha's compassion allows her to see the truth in her opponent and bring about an end to their personal conflict (of course it helps when your opponent isn't totally implacable and is actually a lonely guy who's dedicated his entire life and tried to sacrifice his humanity for his people). Moving on from that, yes, Andrew turns against his own people! My goodness… Yes, I lied when I said he was the antagonist. He's actually one of the protagonists; he just starts off as the enemy (kind of like Fate and the Wolkenritter, which is alluded to later). As to where things go from here… well, if you thought it was complicated already…_

_As to his Eclipse Recovery ability, I know, it seems totally and completely hacked. Let me try and explain a bit about it and Eclipse Mode because like I've said there's a lot of background information that didn't make it into the story. First off, at this point, Nanoha's recovered a little more than half the damage she took from using Blaster in StrikerS (so her magic capacity is down 4% instead of 8%). However, most of the remaining damage is permanent; it won't heal over time, no matter what she does normally. Secondly, as to why Eclipse Recovery exists… Eclipse Mode has a second level, Eclipse Drive, which is even stronger, but with greater risks (Andrew never uses it in the story, btw). Eclipse Mode has built in safeties to keep the user from destroying themselves. Because of that, Eclipse Mode is only useable for a few minutes before it automatically shuts off, leaving the user completely drained, and necessitating the use of Eclipse Recovery (which also leaves you vulnerable since you can't use magic for a few hours once you've used it on yourself), since damage will be done to your body even at this stage (even using it for a few minutes like this would require a couple months of ordinary recuperation before you'd be back at full strength). With Eclipse Drive, the safeties are removed, and you can literally tear your body apart from the inside out if you use it too long. However, even if you're totally destroying yourself, it will allow you to continue to fight. Also, like Andrew said, he can't repair the damage beyond a certain point, so using Eclipse Drive really is a humongous risk, and with the limits on Eclipse Mode, if you can't win with it, you'll absolutely lose since you'll be nearly helpless when the time limit expires. In a way, Eclipse is more dangerous than Blaster, since you can use Blaster One without really damaging yourself too much. With Eclipse, you've got no choice; it'll damage you no matter what, which is why his family spent hundreds of years researching a way to repair themselves (despite what Nanoha thinks, it's not the repairing of connections to the Linker Core that's unusual, it's the ability to temporarily shut down the Linker Core that's odd). For those of you who might be wondering, no, I came up with his Overdrive before Force mentioned anything about an Eclipse (I started planning this about a year ago)… They're stealing my thoughts! Where's my tinfoil hat?_

_As to Andrew healing an opponent of his… Well, sometimes he's a naïve and idealistic idiot, though he did point out that using a short program like this would only stabilize her condition. He can be pragmatic, but not really cynical. It's actually been a bit tough, sometimes, since I'm a fairly cynical person, but he is not, so I've had to be careful not to let my cynicism sneak into his character._


	11. Chapter 11

**Fulham Airbase…**

Nanoha and Andrew landed lightly on the busy tarmac. As they had flown over the countryside, they saw the extent of the damages done by the Arcadian bombers. Vast area had been laid to waste by 'mass-scatter bombs' Andrew had called them; antimatter warheads. They were designed for use in space, he had told her in a hollow voice. Using them like this was unimaginable… Unfortunately the reality was staring them in the face in the devastation around them.

Their touch-down was scarcely noticed by the myriad personnel running about the base in a frenzy. If the mobilization had been somewhat muted before, it appeared the be going full bore now. Nanoha recognized a lot of the support personnel wearing the insignias of senior cadets and midshipmen; they were even pulling academy students in for extra hands.

Hayate rushed up to the pair, breathless. "Nanoha-chan… Um, Commander Darkstar. Fate and I tried to get to you, but… Once we picked up the bombers, we had to break off to intercept them. I managed to get a lot, but…" She shook her head before continuing. "We have reports of bombings all across the lines. Further, a group of Arcadian ships ran the blockade less than an hour ago, and more troops are landing right now. They've debarked at least four large transports that we know of, and they've also landed a lot more bombers, though we got a couple transports in orbit, along with some escorts."

Andrew frowned. "Four? If those ships were fully loaded, that would almost completely drain the garrison we left behind on Arcadia." He closed his eyes a moment before staring hard into the distance. "Those generals… They're putting all their eggs in one basket."

"They're certainly making things difficult for us," observed Fate Harlaown quietly, joining the group. She watched Andrew warily, but Andrew could tell both her and Hayate Yagami's close friendship with Nanoha was keeping them from being outright hostile; if she said he could be trusted, they'd believe her.

"Fate-chan! Hayate-chan told me you were out on intercept duty… We saw some of the damage on our way here; is it that bad everywhere?" Nanoha asked breathlessly.

Fate nodded slowly, crimson eyes reflecting her revulsion. "Just about. The sector around the forward command center was hit hard, and the entire base was leveled." Fate glanced at Andrew. "Nanoha, what happened?"

Nanoha was about to explain when a large group of troops led by a general Nanoha didn't recognize approach. "Colonel Yagami, is this him?" he asked Hayate shortly.

"Uh, yes, but," Hayate stammered, "sir, maybe we should wait for Captain Takamachi's explanation…"

The general cut her off. "I have my orders, Colonel. You men, place this man under arrest."

Andrew wasn't completely surprised; he knew this was a possibility. Still, he was a little taken aback at how quickly and perfunctorily it had been done. He didn't offer resistance his device was sealed and his arms bound.

"Wait a moment, General, I am personally vouching for Commander Darkstar. He's risked a lot to come here, and he's willing to cooperate," explained Nanoha.

The man shook his head. "Even if that's true, Captain, he's been an enemy of the TSA, and his arrest has been ordered by the council through the general staff. If he's going to cooperate, it'll be from a cell."

"Nanoha." She turned to look at Andrew. His eyes were a bit dull, but the lines of his face were still etched with resolve. "It's alright. I knew this could happen when I agreed to come with you. You have other things to worry about; people are dying and you have to help them." She stared at him a moment longer, hesitant. "Go," he implored her. "We both know what we have to do."

Finally, Nanoha nodded and watched him taken away to a waiting transport. After a moment, Hayate tugged at her sleeve, and the three companions slowly walked away, towards the base command post. Andrew was right, Nanoha knew; they both had something they had to do. She had to stop the Arcadians… And he had to find some way to stop them from destroying themselves before it was too late.

**Fulham Airbase Barracks, the following morning…**

Nanoha Takamachi awoke with that strange feeling one has when waking in a bed other than your usual one. Stretching her limbs and feeling only a tiny twinge from her duel the day before, she rose and mechanically buttoned up her uniform.

The previous night she had called Vivio back at their home, assuring her daughter she was fine, despite the news reports. It hurt Nanoha dearly to have to away so much, especially after Vivio's ordeal of being in an Arcadian prison, but this is where she was needed most. She realized dully that she had never truly thanked Andrew for protecting Vivio. One more thing they'd have to discuss. Whenever she got a chance to see him.

Casualty reports from the bombings were still coming in. The attacks had lessened as dawn had approached, but there were still so many unaccounted for. Fate's group had intercepted and shot down several planes, as had a few others here and there, and according to what Andrew had told her last night, they could only deploy around 60 aircraft. They were likely down to three quarters of that, but it was still a sizable force. Unfortunately, the ground troops comprising most of the front lines didn't have the ability to shoot down the high flying aircraft, so more aerial mages would be needed for intercepts.

Hayate's attacks had done their job to great effect, but with all the attacks later, and the Arcadian reinforcements, the end result hadn't been much. Still, their situation would be worse now if they hadn't done it, plus it seemed that her moves had been what had forced Andrew into his duel with Nanoha in the first place, so there was that.

Things were getting really bad on the homefront. Before, the Council had been afraid to spread too much information about the Arcadians, not wanting people to know about their reasons for attacking, which would surely have pushed them over the breaking point. Now though, there were endless streams of vociferous ramblings declaring how the Arcadians really had been a threat all along, and how the TSAB had been right to bring them into the Administrated Worlds to watch over them, neglecting of course to mention the measures taken. Nanoha doubted it would matter. Intellectually, people would be able to understand the Arcadians had been wronged, but it didn't matter in the face of their own homes being blasted into rubble.

As Nanoha walked out onto the tarmac, heading for the command post, she reflected that despite everything going on, physically, she felt the best she had in a long time. It seemed like Andrew's recovery spell really might be having an effect. She had to be careful, though, she reminded herself, remembering his warnings about going too hard with an incomplete treatment. Reaching the indistinct—except for the large communications array on top—gray building, Nanoha took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The frenzy she had seen the night before on the tarmac was nothing compared to the unadulterated chaos that seemed to be sweeping through the room. Technicians crowded at stations, more running every which way with reports and data. In the middle of it all stood Hayate Yagami, her face looking more drawn and weary than Nanoha had ever seen her.

Hayate straightened, gesturing Nanoha over. "Fate-chan's off on another intercept patrol," Hayate explained, answering Nanoha's unstated question. "I'd like to go with her… But she told me I was needed here more." Turning away from the table for a moment, she looked over her old friend. "How are you feeling Nanoha-chan?"

Nanoha had told Fate and Hayate the details of her vicious duel the previous day, along with the heart to heart they had had while buried together in that cavern. Fate was still a little wary, but was willing to accept Nanoha's judgement—she had also harangued Nanoha for using her Blaster System as heavily as she did, which Nanoha had born with her usual mixture of thanks and flippancy. She hadn't mentioned Andrew's Eclipse Recovery to either of them just yet; she knew it'd just worry the both of them. Fate, bless her, could be such a mother hen at times. But Nanoha knew it was only because she cared about her friends and family so dearly.

Hayate on the other hand, had been as pragmatic as always, accepting Nanoha's explanation without comment. Hayate was focused on defeating the enemy; if Andrew could help with that, she'd welcome it. If not, then the enemy's strongest weapon was out of action. Either way, the TSAB would benefit. Not to say she had been entirely impersonal about it; but whatever her personal feelings were, she had submerged them under her professionalism and would deal with it when the time came.

"I'm doing good; I only felt a tiny twinge when I woke up this morning," Nanoha replied. The doctors had told her that most of her injuries were superficial, though she did have a cracked rib and her right arm was wrapped to prevent a possible fracture. Most of her pain had been from using her Blaster so heavily.

Hayate nodded, allowing her relief to show for a brief instant before putting her command face back on. "We've detected troop build-ups all along the front, but they're concentrating in South Reach and Port Brenner. Their bombing last night was pretty general, so there haven't been any clues as to their targets from that. We're holding them back for now… but we don't know what they're planning. We might not have any inkling until their next bombing attack, which we think will be tonight."

"And by then, we'll have even more casualties to deal with," Nanoha commented a little harshly. She sighed. "We really don't know?"

Hayate shook her head. "Almost all of their moves up until were planned by Commander Darkstar. We don't know what sort of moves their new commanders might take."

Nanoha glanced at the screen. "But we know someone who will."

"Absolutely not," stated the colonel from the previous night firmly. "I read Colonel Yagami's report on your information Captain, and quite frankly, I'm worried you're letting your personal feelings get in the way of things. If Commander Darkstar is willing to cooperate, he'll tell his story to Intelligence, and then it will be relayed to us. That is the final word on the subject."

"With all due respect, Colonel Fiorino, Captain Takanachi's rapport with Commander Darkstar may make him more willing to give up information to her rather than to an Intelligence office," Hayate pointed out.

"Even though he's said he'll cooperate, he still has his own goals," Nanoha put in. "He wants to free his people, but he won't use attacks on civilians to do it. If he thinks the best way to help his people is by helping us, he will. But it'll be easier if I talk to him."

Colonel Fiorino scowled at the two women. "Things aren't so simple you know. Even in times of emergency like this, you can't keep short-circuiting the chain of command. You should know how protective officers can be of their turf, Colonel Yagami." Hayate didn't respond. Fiorino sighed heavily, and sat for a few minutes but in the end, he relented. "Alright… I may take some heat for this, but… if you really think… if you're sure, that he'll give up what he knows faster this way… Then we can't really afford the delay." He stood from his desk, glancing out the window. "Not with the casualty figures," he murmured darkly.

After receiving written orders allowing their interrogation, the two women saluted smartly, then spun on their heels. Outside, Hayate glanced at Nanoha. "I hadn't expected him to cave so easily," she commented.

"I wonder… He may have been on our side from the start, but he had his own orders, too," remarked Nanoha.

"That could be it," agreed Hayate. "In any case, you'd better go. I still need to stay here and keep things organized. Good luck, Nanoha-chan."

**TSAB Detention Facility, Three Rivers Military Base…**

Despite the orders from Colonel Fiorino, it had taken Nanoha three days to reach the detention facility. First she had been ordered to the hospital for an entire day, and then was sent on an intercept patrol the following night at the behest of the higher ups. Even now, after reaching the detention center, she was being held up by Intelligence officers who apparently didn't like the Army's Military Investigations arm muscling in on their turf. Finally, though, she was inside, being led to Andrew's cell.

"Here he is," said the Intelligence officer. "Good luck getting him to talk. He hasn't said a single word since we brought him in. Waste of time," he muttered in irritation.

Nanoha waited for the man to go before gesturing for the guard to unlock the door and let her in. Stepping past the threshold, the door clicked behind her. Sitting on one of two opposing benches in the sterile white room was Andrew Darkstar.

He glanced at her as she stepped in. "Oh, hi. I was wondering if they were actually going to let you in here. Go ahead, pull up a chair. Sorry I can't offer much in the way of creature comforts. They're very strict with war criminals, you know," he said dryly.

Nanoha frowned. "War criminals?"

Andrew leaned back, looking somewhat annoyed. "Yeah, they didn't mention that part? They want to put me before a big tribunal for my part in the terrible acts being committed by the savage Arcadians. Well, they want to put a lot of Arcadian leaders before a tribunal, but I'm the only one in custody at the moment, so…"

Nanoha leaned forward. She couldn't do anything about that now, but… "They told me you hadn't said anything."

Andrew nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "Anything I tell them, they'd take forever to put to use, and besides… They'd only want to use it to be able to kill more people. That's not what I want. There were so many mistakes the last time, so many places where people just went wrong, and look what's happened. We're still paying for it a century later."

Nanoha sighed heavily. She had looked into some more of the history when she had come back. It was true, a few commanders had exerted more authority than they had had, and committed a terrible crime… but there had been enough hardliners on the Council to prevent action, and now, it was a status quo that people just accepted. "Andrew-kun… You know the situation. Things are getting worse. More and more people are dying every day. They probably wouldn't have let me in here except for the mounting casualties."

"You think I don't know that?" he snarled back, causing her to recoil a bit. Sighing, he checked himself, slumping down. "As things stand, Nanoha… I can't free my people. Lagan and the Senate… and even Goren," he added reluctantly, "they think if they kill enough, they can force you down. But all I can see that doing is sending our world into the fire. When people are scared and angry, they make bad, rash decisions—it's exactly why we were bombed in the first place, probably, and it's where we're heading now. The only thing I can do now is try and save my people and pray that they won't waste their lives."

Nanoha stared at him. She expected to see the resolve gone from his face now, but it was still there. "What do you mean?" she asked. He had obviously thought this through a bit; this wasn't the face of a man who had given up hope.

"I mean that as things are, I can't free Arcadia… All I can do is protect them in the hopes that one day they can be free. But you can't enjoy freedom if you're dead. I can make a choice to die for my people's freedom; any soldier can do that. But as a whole, we can't choose suicide, even if it means we die free. That's a hollow victory, only good for inspiring others in hopeless causes somewhere down the line. And that's exactly where we could be headed, with what Lagan and Goren have done. This attack was an enormous gamble in the first place, but this… I have to stop this, somehow, even if…" He folded his hands, voice soft now, but somehow Nanoha didn't have to strain to hear him. "I swore once… Even if I die, even if it takes 1000 years, even if I have to be seen as evil, I'll see Arcadia freed."

"I'll do everything I can," Nanoha assured him, feeling the weight of his oath, and the oath she made to him to share his burdens. "I promise."

Andrew nodded. "I know… But now I need you to do everything you can to end this with as little bloodshed as possible. That's all we can do at the moment."

Nanoha nodded slowly, taking out a pad to take notes. "Alright… What can you tell me about the Arcadian plans?"

It took another ten hours for Nanoha to reach Fulham again. After her interview with Andrew, Intelligence had fully debriefed her. With as hard as they grilled her, she would have thought she was the one under arrest. In the end, they had left a little disappointed. Nanoha hadn't told them much; after all, she had promised not to use the information he gave her to hurt people, only to end the war as quickly and painlessly as she could. After arriving back on base, she met Hayate and Fate in a conference room.

Sighing slightly with exhaustion, Nanoha collapsed into a chair facing the other two women and began speaking. "According to what Andrew told me, the Arcadian overall goal is what we've thought all along: to force the TSA council to negotiate with them using a series of attacks designed to weaken our morale and damage infrastructure. It was hoped they could force a fast resolution, before a strike could be mounted on Arcadia, plus they left a lot of forces there, hoping to divide the TSAB as much as possible in the event of an attack. However, their contingency plan called for unrestricted warfare to cause as many casualties as possible before their forces were overwhelmed, for the dual purpose of tying up as many of our resources as they could here in relief effort and to, again, destroy our will to fight. The unspoken objective of this second level of strategy was, of course, revenge against the TSA for their actions during the first war with Arcadia."

"That's a really risky strategy to take," Hayate noted quietly. "If instead, the TSAB had launched an immediate, overwhelming attack, they'd be completely cut off and it would cause significant damage to Arcadia. And with the Council frantic like this, they may just do it."

Nanoha nodded ruefully. "The risks they undertook certainly were large… but their desperation was so acute, it seemed to them this was their only chance. If their force build up had been detected, a strike would have been launched as well, and they'd still be overwhelmed. Further, they were gambling again on the TSAB wanting to keep the planet intact… They were still playing with people's lives, no doubt about that, and according to Andrew he was personally opposed to it, but once it was decided this would be the strategy, the only thing he felt he could do was try and make it work as best he could." Nanoha paused, bringing up a map of the theater. Highlighting a few key areas of the map, she continued.

"These locations are the Arcadian forward command posts, where their senior officers coordinate squadrons and fire support. They have an extensive array of mobile communications repeaters and sensors, which gives them an information systems capacity nearly equal to that of our own. Despite the tactical value of these targets, they are lightly defended, with only a small cadre of guards at each site."

"Are they really that low on manpower, or is there another reason?" asked Hayate, examining the map closely.

Nanoha shook her head. "No, it's been like that the whole time. It was a conscious decision not to deplete their forward forces and also, since these locations were unknown to us, it was deemed unnecessary to commit large forces there. However," she added, pointing out a few of the areas, "these locations are also staging areas, where the bulk of any reaction forces they'll have remaining will be. Standard doctrine for them is to keep two elite aerial squadrons in reserve for every 150 miles of front, though with their manpower shortages, they've been getting by with one."

"So… diversified sector command, reaction forces held in reserve, which could also exploit breakthroughs… They're very much designed around rapid response, not so much force on force," commented Fate.

Nanoha nodded. "That's right. Because of their lack of numbers, their tactics have become very much based around detecting and anticipating enemy movements and responding quickly with overwhelming force."

Hayate nodded thoughtfully, standing to take a better look at the map. "What do we know about Goren and Lagan?" she asked briskly.

Nanoha glanced back down at her notes. "General Castin Goren is their senior aerial mage commander. While he himself is only an A+ ranked mage, he was their senior aerial tactics instructor for a number of years. He taught Andrew-kun personally after Andrew-kun's father passed away. Thusly, he's had a lot of influence on Andrew, and tactically, they think similarly, with a focus on quick, hard-hitting forces, bypassing strong points and hitting weaker targets. While he doesn't whole-heartedly support total war, he'll follow any order given to him by the Arcadian Senate." Flipping the page, she read them the next dossier.

"General Lomik Lagan is their senior strategist, with a focus in logistics. He's a ground forces commander, and not a mage. He has little tactical experience and favors direct engagements in that sense. As far as overall strategy, we've seen it with attacks on South Reach and Port Brenner; high value targets which are both defensible and ideally located for spring-boarding to new objectives. He's very much in favor of massed attack on high value infrastructure, which in his mind includes roads, bridges, power plants, dams, water supply, etc. He also has no compunctions about incurring civilian casualties. He's a bitter man who greatly desires revenge against the TSA," Nanoha concluded.

Hayate certainly couldn't argue with the last bit. From what Carim had told her about her encounters with the Arcadian officers, Lagan had scared the Saint Church representative. Studying the map for a few more minutes, Hayate sat back down and turned to her friends. "It's my understanding that Andrew Darkstar gave us this information on the condition that we try and end the war as quickly and bloodlessly as possible," she remarked, which Nanoha confirmed. Hayate sighed heavily before continuing. "That won't sit too well with some members of the council, but in the end, they're agreed to let the general staff handle things, and the staff has placed me in tactical command of this sector. So," Hayate continued, "our main objective needs to be to disrupt Arcadian movements by destroying their command posts and communications equipment. Their bases near South Reach and Port Brenner are too close to civilian population centers, but most of their bases on the line are prime targets. But," she added thoughtfully, "we still need a way to force them out of the cities."

Nanoha indicated an area of the map just south of Port Brenner. "Andrew-kun had some ideas about that. Port Brenner was seized by forces under General Lagan's direct command, and he sees it as his personal command. Thusly, any attack on the city would probably be met with incredible resistance."

Fate frowned at that statement. "It sounds like our best chance is to go after South Reach, then."

Nanoha shook her head. "In fact, that isn't the case at all. While it's true that a large amount of enemy forces are concentrated within the city, the thin strip along the coast here is much more lightly defended. A feint on Port Brenner itself would expose this weakness even further, allowing a second attack force to threaten a complete encirclement. While Lagan is a proud man, he wouldn't be…erm…" She glanced at her notes, and the other two women realized she was reading verbatim from something Andrew had said. "Erm, be enough of an idiot to let himself get cut off and destroyed," she finished, blushing slightly.

Hayate sighed, chuckling slightly, while Fate just watched apprehensively. "Geez… To think, now we have to rely on Andrew Darkstar to plan _our_ battles, too." She stood. "OK, Nanoha-chan. Based on what you've told us, I think I have a good idea. I need to make a report to the general staff, but meet me in the operations room in two hours, and I'll tell you what I've come up with."

With a few last words of departing, the three friends split up. Fate lingered a little with Nanoha, before returning to her post.

"Nanoha," she started hesitantly, "are you sure… I mean, I trust you completely and…" The blonde woman squirmed a bit. This sort of talk wasn't her strong point. "Are we totally sure Andrew Darkstar can be trusted?"

Nanoha though back to her conversations with Andrew, and of all the things she had experience in her life. Remembering her and Fate's fight against the Wolkenritter, and her battles against Fate herself, she said softly, "Sometimes, when good people try to do the right thing for the ones they care most for, they end up doing the wrong thing, no matter how hard they try."

Fate's eyes flickered, recognizing Nanoha's reference immediately. Lowering her gaze, the quiet woman nodded slowly. "OK… I understand. I'm sorry, Nanoha."

The auburn haired woman shook her head. "It's alright. I know, you're only worried. But don't be afraid; I know he's an honest person." Nanoha smiled. "He even called me very strict, so we know he's a good judge of character, right?"

Despite herself, Fate had to laugh at that. Waving at her longtime friend, Nanoha made her way to the tarmac. Maybe…just maybe, thought Fate, this could turn out well for everyone after all.

Several hours later, Hayate burst into the operations center, looking rushed. Nanoha and Fate stood from where they had congregated around the central monitor and waited for her to catch her breath.

"Sorry about that, you two," she apologized. "The meeting with the staff took longer than I thought."

"Actually, I only got here a few minutes ago," Fate remarked. "The patrol ran into some trouble and it took a while to mop up."

They looked at Nanoha, who only laughed weakly. "Um… I've been here the whole time?"

Fate sighed heavily, having apparently already said her piece about her friend's workaholic nature. Hayate coughed momentarily before turning to the monitor.

"Right. So, following what we've learned about the Arcadian force disposition, I've gotten the staff to release several squadrons for a move on Port Brenner. Approximately 30 minutes prior to contact, I'm going to deploy with Rein and one squadron here, and knock out these command posts," she told them, indicating the relevant locations. "Once that happens, Signum, along with two aerial and five ground squadrons are going to hit the perimeter here, just beyond Overlook Hill north of Port Brenner. If your information is correct Nanoha-chan," Hayate continued, obliquely not mentioning where she got that information from, "the enemy should respond within 30 minutes to an hour. At that point, Fate-chan, I'd like you to lead the primary attack force here, driving towards Sand Point. Your force will be the same size as Signum's, except you'll have an additional aerial squadron instead of one of the ground squadrons, but remember that your flank will be exposed. Once your attack starts, I'll shift positions and try to give you some cover fire, but it'll be tough." Hayate turned an apologetic eye to Nanoha. "Nanoha-chan… I'm sorry, but after your fight a few days ago, using your Blaster System like that, I want to keep you out of action for now."

Nanoha pursed her lips, but nodded her assent. She imagined Hayate had had a difficult enough time trying to get the general staff to move on the word of a man who had been their enemy only a short time ago, and didn't want to add to her concerns.

"In that case, Nanoha," Fate was saying now, "you should go home for a little while. You haven't seen Vivio in a few days, right?"

Hayate nodded. "Yeah. Nanoha-chan, why don't you take a break? Nothing's going to happen for another 14 hours anyways while we shuffle forces around, so we won't miss you here. Um, not that… I mean, everyone else can handle it, so there's no need to work yourself to death."

Nanoha sighed. "Alright, Hayate-chan, Fate-chan, I can see I can't win against both of you. I'll go." Her voice turned serious again for a moment. "Just be careful, both of you. Even if we don't have to fight Andrew-kun anymore, we can't let our guards down."

Hayate and Fate both nodded solemnly before ushering Nanoha out the door, chuckling as she stood there, exasperated, but happy nonetheless. She only hesitated a moment longer before heading off across the tarmac and back towards her daughter.

_Author's Note: You may have noticed, I've started naming these places that Nanoha and the others are based at. I realized earlier that not naming places made it a little confusing. The problem is that I'm really bad at coming up with names. This next part is there partly because, well, I realized there wasn't enough Vivio! This is a story about Nanoha, and her beloved daughter hardly shows up at all. Shame on me._

_In case anyone is wondering about the timeline of events the night the bombing started, Goren and Lagan called the Senate almost as soon as Andrew left, and had permission within half an hour, and the bombers took off almost immediately. Shortly after that, the blockade runners left Arcadia, heading for Mid. It took Andrew around 2-3 hours to reach the command center. At that point, Hayate and Fate made to back her up, but it'd take them around 35-40 minutes to get there. However, about 10 minutes later, they picked up the bomber formations and had to break off. Around 10-15 minutes after that, Nanoha and Andrew's fight concluded, and the bombing began at their location. They were trapped together for about 5 hours, met with Goren and Lagan and fought their men for about 10 minutes, and then flew to Fulham, which took around an hour. A half hour into their flight is when the Arcadians ran the blockade._


	12. Chapter 12

**Takamachi Residence, North Cranagan suburbs…**

The house was empty when Nanoha arrived. Despite the war going on, classes were still in session at St. Hilde Academy, even considering the hostage situation they had been a part of. Vivio hadn't talked much about it, and Nanoha hadn't asked yet; she wanted her child to talk to her in her own time. She hoped the other kids were alright; she had met Vivio's close friends Rio and Corona several times—Vivio was staying with Rio while Nanoha was away—along with the rest of the parents during the Parent-Teacher Conference day.

Sighing to herself and dropping her bag unceremoniously in the entryway, she resisted the immediate urge to turn on one of the screens in the house to check on the war progress. Even though she wanted to keep as informed as possible, she was getting so tired of the fighting. She recalled her conversation with Sister Schach, so long ago it seemed now, about wanting to end this quickly and go back to her old life. With the damages that had been done, it didn't seem like that was a likely outcome anymore.

Wandering upstairs, she grabbed a spare uniform out of the closet to exchange; she'd been stuck with the one for several days now, and it was beginning to become unpleasant. Though she'd gone through tough field training before, being out on the line, not having many changes of clothing, no time for hot showers (in some cases no showers at all due to infrastructure damages) wore on a person. After swapping out the contents of her bag, which she had to of course retrieve from downstairs, grumbling as she did so, she headed into the bathroom for a long soak in the tub.

As she sat in the hot water, scrubbing some dirt and grime off, she wondered if any of it was left over from her time in that cavern with Andrew. The entire time they were there, it had completely escaped them just how covered in muck they had become. War and mud… what a lovely combination she thought wryly.

Finally feeling totally fresh for the first time in nearly a week, she stepped out and toweled off, pulling on civilian clothes for what seemed like forever. As she fixed up her hair, she glanced into the mirror and experimentally focused on her Linker Core. A few seconds later, she nodded thoughtfully. She definitely felt better than she had in a long time. She reminded herself to have Shamal check on her the next chance she had, to see if she could confirm Nanoha's feeling.

As Nanoha was hunting through the cupboards, wondering whether she'd need to restock soon, the door opened, and Nanoha heard several small feet clomping in. "The door was unlocked… Mama?" called out Vivio.

Stepping around the counter and into view from the doorway, Nanoha smiled warmly. Vivio stood in the door, along with Rio and Corona. "Vivio… I'm home," she said, kneeling down and holding her arms out.

Vivio ran forward, not even taking her shoes off, and embraced Nanoha tightly. "I've missed you, Nanoha-mama. I keep checking here everyday to see if you're back…"

Nanoha blinked away tears that suddenly formed in her eyes. She felt terrible for putting Vivio through this; it was the difficulty of the path she'd chosen. Even though Vivio relied on her, there were a lot of other people who did, too. It was hard, she thought, being a mother. "I'm sorry, Vivio. I know I promised this would be over fast, but it looks like things are getting more complicated now," Nanoha apologized. Whenever she called Vivio from the field, she tried to avoid talking about the war.

Vivio stepped back, nodding solemnly. "We saw on the news… It sounds like a lot of people are getting hurt."

Nanoha bit her lip. "Yeah… And you know that it's Mama's job to protect people, right? So I'm going to have to go back out soon."

Vivio nodded, a little downcast. "OK. But don't worry too much. Vivio promised Nanoha-mama she'd be strong, so I will be, ok?"

Nanoha smiled. "I know. Thank you, Vivio," she said, and the two gave each other a friendly high-five. "I hope, though, that things will get solved, soon… Andrew-kun… Andrew Darkstar is helping us, now."

Vivio tapped her chin thoughtfully as the four of them meandered into the kitchen. "Andrew Darkstar? You mean the sometimes-but-not-always scary man who took me back home?"

Rio looked a little puzzled. "I know Vivio says that guy saved her but… The news says he's a bad guy."

Nanoha pursed her lips. "Well, it's a little complicated… Andrew-kun is an Arcadian soldier… But he doesn't want more people to be hurt. He's trying hard to save everybody, but it's pretty tough."

Corona looked at her other two friends. "Really? 'Cause the networks all say he's the head bad guy… And how nasty the Arcadians are for their bombing and stuff. I think they mentioned that the TSAB declared them a…menace, I guess it was, a long time ago, and that they're just doing more bad things."

Nanoha shook her head. "Andrew-kun's been in TSAB custody for nearly four days. His bosses are the ones doing bad things, and he's trying to help us stop them... The Arcadians aren't bad people… But some of their leaders have made bad decisions." _Just like ours did._ She sighed and added, "They're scared, just like people are here."

Nanoha laughed, patting Vivio's head again. "I know. Don't worry, you will eventually. But for now, how about Nanoha-mama makes you all some snacks, and you can tell me about what you've been up to?"

The three girls all cheered. Spirits brightened, Nanoha set about her task in the kitchen, glad to have her mind off terrible things, even for a little bit, and reminding herself of just what it was she was fighting for.

Nanoha stopped by the detention facility on her way back to the forward base the following morning. The Intelligence officers grumbled again about her visit, but let her in. The guard informed her with a wry grin that after last time, they had installed listening devices. Nanoha thanked him with an amused smile of her own and stepped inside.

Andrew glanced up at her entrance, eyes flickering for a second before sitting up. "I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon," he admitted. "Something up? Or have my observers resorted to passing notes?"

Nanoha shook her head. "No… I just wanted to see if you were alright. And also… I realized I never thanked you properly, for saving Vivio. Thank you."

"Oh." Andrew glanced at the cell door. "Well… You're welcome. Is she doing alright?"

Nanoha nodded. "Yeah, I saw her yesterday. Hayate-chan and Fate-chan forced me to take a day off. I've been on duty for days now. It's been a little rough," she admitted. Teasingly, she informed him, "She called you the sometimes-but-not-always scary guy."

Andrew rolled his eyes, chuckling slightly. "Well, I'm glad to hear she's OK. It's nice to have some good news in here."

Sympathy flooded into Nanoha as she leaned forward. "I know it must be hard for you… But I promise I'll do everything I can to get you cleared of anything they try and charge you with, and I know Carim-san will help, too."

Andrew shook his head. "I'm not worried about me, Nanoha. I knew this might happen the moment I decided to go with you, and I'm prepared to face that. It's just… I betrayed my people in order to save them… Saying you're willing to have your name soiled and actually doing it… It's not as easy as I thought it would be."

"I know," Nanoha told him earnestly. "And I think it's really brave of you Really." She took a deep breath. "The attack's going to begin pretty soon," she told him. "So… I'll make sure and let you know the result. Hayate-chan's doing her best to minimize casualties, even though the council is getting really mad. And I guess they're trying to turn opinion against the Arcadians, too."

Andrew nodded sullenly. Nanoha could see how much it was hurting him. She knew she couldn't really say anything to make him feel better about what he'd done. Even if history vindicated him at some point, he'd probably still carry guilt for his actions. Finally, he said, "Thank her for me." Looking at her with that stern gaze of his, he told her, "You should go… Your people are going to need you for this one."

She nodded and stood slowly. Giving one last glance back, she stepped out of the cell and headed for the exit.

**Fulham Airbase…**

It was midmorning by the time Nanoha arrived on station, and headed into the operations center. Hayate and Fate had already deployed to their respective preliminary positions. By the clock in the operations center, Hayate would begin her bombardment in only 15 minutes. Nanoha quickly gave the map a once over, making sure everything was where it should be.

Hearing Andrew discuss attack plans and Arcadian tactics over the last few days, Nanoha had realized just how much modern warfare was reliant on accurate information. He had consistently been able to defeat the TSAB plans not just because of his own strength, but because his analysis of information was so good. He accurately foresaw Hayate's ambush and so carefully concealed his own countermeasures that they were caught out when he initiated his own operation. This current plan certainly hinged on information warfare. If Signum and Fate's groups were detected too soon, the whole thing might fall apart. But if they got to their positions correctly, and Hayate's attack knocked out the Arcadian systems, they'd be able to approach their targets undetected and take them by surprise.

The screen flickered to life, showing all three women, Hayate, Signum and Fate. All gave a reassured smile, seeing Nanoha on the other side. "Nanoha-chan, good to see you made it."

"Yeah, I had a bit of trouble getting back here," she admitted sheepishly. "Looks like everything is ready to go on your ends?"

The three nodded. "We're in position now," affirmed Signum. "To tell the truth, I'm actually glad that Darkstar is on our side now, such as it is." Her face took on a faraway look. "I could sense something sad about him when we clashed… From what Hayate's told me… It reminds me… of earlier days," she finished pensively.

Fate pursed her lips, but didn't disagree. She'd been thinking a lot about what Nanoha had said to her, and while she wasn't quite ready to accept Andrew Darkstar the way she did Hayate and the Wolkenritter, she could understand Nanoha and Signum's feelings. Maybe one day, she'd share them, too.

Hayate watched her faithful knight for a long moment before finally sighing heavily. "Geez… That guy sure is stirring up a lot of stuff. Well, in any case, are there any last minute abnormalities to report, Nanoha-chan?"

Nanoha shook her head. "Everything looks good here. The fighting has progressed about as we expected, no major troop movements that I'm seeing."

Hayate nodded. "OK. Looks like we proceed as planned then. I'll begin my bombardment in 5 minutes. Good luck, everybody." After further affirmations from the others, the screens went dead.

**Arcadian Command Post…**

General Goren watched the screens dotting the walls uneasily, as he had for the past few days, ever since Commander Darkstar had betrayed them. If nothing else, the lack of the Commander's presence on their lines should have emboldened the TSAB. At worst, if he had completely turned and was actively helping them, they'd know everything about the Arcadian force disposition. Even Lagan didn't think Andrew would go that far, nor did the Senate; despite everything, Andrew, as the scion of the Darkstar family, did have some die-hard supporters there… Nor had Goren and Lagan been willing to tell them everything about what had transpired; the blow to morale would've been catastrophic. He had expected some sort of move, and none had occurred. Lagan was convinced that their bombing was working, and the lack of movement was an indicator of that, but Goren wasn't so sure.

More galling was that Lagan had dismissed his suggestion they move the forward command posts and their valuable communications and sensory gear. Goren was frustrated by Lagan's blindness; it wasn't cowardice that had driven Andrew to stand against them. It was principle. Goren had seen it before. It had been exasperating during his training; Andrew simply couldn't be moved from the path he perceived was correct once he'd completely set his mind to it. Prudence demanded action from the two officers, but Lagan was too caught up in their apparent success, and unfortunately, as strategic and logistics commander, the decision was ultimately Lagan's. This was the most dangerous time; the TSAB was wounded, and they might strike out in last gasp before folding. They couldn't afford to lose what they'd gained now. Before they'd had no room left to fall. Now…

Suddenly, one of the sectors lost telemetry. Goren frowned, and turned to bark for a report, when one officer sat back, startled, from his station. "Sir, we've just received word; Colonel Hayate Yagami is attacking again!"

Goren's eyes widened. It was just as he had feared; they were hitting the command posts with super-long range bombardment magic. Before, Yagami had taken out their defenses from over 100 miles away, and even Commander Darkstar had said approaching her openly was impossible. If they lost their monitoring stations…

"Order all command posts to go mobile, immediately!" he shouted.

"It's going to be tough to coordinate like that," one lieutenant complained.

"You can't coordinate at all if you're dead," Goren replied coldly. This could only mean one thing; Commander Darkstar had given up vital information on their order of battle. "Get me Lagan, now!"

A moment later, Lagan's face appeared on the screen. He was at his own base in Port Brenner. "Goren? This had better be important; we're getting hints of enemy movement around the city."

Goren wanted to scream at him. The man was a tactical idiot. "The Yagami woman is at it again. She just blew up one…" Another command post dropped off the air. "Correction, two of our forward command posts. We're losing telemetry in several sectors, and I can't get through to some units in the field."

Lagan frowned. "That's impossible. How could she know where to fire at? Have we got enemy infiltrators sneaking through the lines?"

Goren slammed a fist on the table. "Andrew's given us up, General! He knew everything, and he's told them everything! And if he's advising them, a major operation is about to start. You need to pull back any recon units you've sent out and prepare for combat. They're likely to hit either Port Brenner or South Reach; they're the biggest targets we're holding."

"There's no way… Not even that sniveling coward would have turned this easily. Even he must have some pride as an Arcadian. Even if that Takamachi woman has poisoned his mind…"

"It doesn't matter how, General, all that matters is they have information, and we are under attack," Goren interrupted.

Lagan growled, irritated. "Fine. But attacking either position would be a waste of effort. We've had days to dig in. A direct assault couldn't possibly succeed." With that, he cut the line. Goren didn't bother to try and get him back. It was clear he wouldn't listen to reason.

_As always with you, threads within threads._ Goren shivered. He had said that to Andrew only a few days ago when he was planning the initial defense of South Reach, shortly before he'd dueled the women called Signum and Vita. Something didn't sit right with him. This felt so straightforward, and yet…

**Overlook Hill, north of Port Brenner…**

Signum stood like a resolute bronze statue, the midmorning sun blazing overhead. Most of her force was behind the crest of the hill, slowly approaching at treetop height. From this position atop the hill, just within the trees, she could scan the entire cityscape. The powerful artillery that had been moved to the city were still in the exact locations that Andrew had last seen them, though he had also told them what he remembered of the movement schedules. Sloppy work, she thought, to not suspect that he had told the TSAB forces what he knew. Still, it worked to their advantage. Absently, she wished that the other Wolkenritter were here, but Vita was still recovering and Shamal and Zafira were needed elsewhere.

Checking the countdown, she contacted the rest of her forces. "60 seconds," she reminded them. "We have to take out the heavy batteries in our first volleys, or we'll be in trouble. Remember, we only have to keep them occupied and make it look good; Testarossa will take care of the rest."

Affirmatives issued up and down, and Signum smiled lightly, hefting her weapon. A small, red haired faerie drifted down next to her, hovering next to her shoulder. "Is it time, Signum."

"Yeah. Let's go, Agito."

As the two warriors of Ancient Belka united, Signum felt the familiar warmth within her heart, and the calm within her soul. Though Hayate Yagami was her one true master, now until forever, Agito was her partner to the end. Signum rose as the rest of her formation roared overhead, unleashing a furious storm of attacks, setting the city alight.

Charging in with a roar, Signum aimed for the blazing maw of the fight. She wasn't afraid. No matter how fiercely the battle raged, the fire in her heart burned hotter. "There, Signum!" cried Agito.

Signum nodded. "I see it." The large air defense battery in the square was the single biggest priority. "Lævateinn!"

"_Jawohl_!" replied her shimmering blade.

Taking aim, Signum unleashed her attack. "Hiryu Issen!" she and Agito screamed exultantly.

**South of Port Brenner…**

They could see some of the larger explosions from here, 20 miles away. "Signum sure is going all out like always," she murmured. Gathered around her were over 40 mages, waiting anxiously for their part in this battle. This was the hard part, waiting. If they attacked too quickly, it'd be easier for the enemy to escape. Too late, and Signum's forces would suffer horrific casualties.

A holograph popped up, displaying Hayate's face. "Fate-chan, I'm on my way to my secondary location. How are you doing there?"

"We're in position, just waiting for our mark. Things seem to be pretty tense up north," the blonde woman remarked tensely.

Hayate nodded. "I know. Don't worry; Agito's with Signum this time, and Nanoha-chan is coordinating everything back at Fulham. We'll pull it off."

At that moment, as if on cue, Nanoha's face appeared on another holograph. "Fate-chan? We're picking up a lot of enemy movements. They're pulling in, trying to tighten up the line around Signum-san, and moving in flankers. Also, it looks like a response force is heading in that direction." A small map appeared next to Nanoha's face, indicating the course of the inbounds.

Fate nodded gravely. "Alright. I guess it's time to move."

Hayate and Nanoha both wished Fate luck, and then closed the connection. At Fate's signal, the force moved out as one, the aerial mages racing ahead to cut off the enemy reinforcements while the ground forces headed for their assigned sectors.

Less than two minutes later, Fate spotted the response group and pulled up. "Bardiche."

"Get set," responded the axe.

Energy built in Fate's palm as she lined up her attack. "Plasma Smasher!"

Fate's yellow beam scattered the contacts, and she rushed in, catching them while they were trying to get organized.

"Haken Form," intoned Bardiche.

Fate fell upon the group like a whirlwind, scything two opponents before they even got a shot off at her. Wheeling about, she knocked another back with a Haken Saber, before locking Bardiche into Zanber Form.

A crisscross of fire informed Fate of the arrival of her allies, confusing the melee even further. With barely a second's glance at the overall situation which had resolved into a series of duels, exactly what Fate wanted with her numerical superiority, Fate fell upon another hapless foe, shattering their barrier in one hit, the momentum of her swing carrying her blade through and nearly ripping the man open. The remaining Arcadians rallied around their young lieutenant, managing to put up a rather orderly retreat. Fate didn't order a pursuit. Her job was to put pressure on Port Brenner.

"Let's go," she ordered briskly. "We need to cut the rail lines and major roadways leading south. We don't have a lot of time."

With that, her force jetted off once more, preparing to turn themselves into the anvil for Signum's force's hammer.

**Arcadian Command Post…**

Goren watched the developments of the battle, a sinking feeling in his stomach. Their response team had been routed, despite Lieutenant Cross's best efforts. Worse still, he had informed Goren that the southern group was being led by Enforce Fate Testarossa Harlaown. With Colonel Hayate Yagami now blasting away, preventing any more reinforcements from approaching, and their communications grid in shambles, Lagan and his men were cut off.

"Lieutenant, I need to speak with General Lagan, right now," Goren told a staffer.

Immediately, Lagan's picture appeared on the sceen, looking harried. "Goren! I was right! There was a major enemy force just on the other side of Overlook Hill, and they're attacking in force. A lot of my artillery has been destroyed, but we're pushing them hard. If you can get me some reinforcements…"

"That isn't going to happen, General," Goren informed him acidly. "TSAB forces are about to cut the passage south. I'm sending transports and what air cover I can, but if you don't begin evacuating, you and your men are going to be completely cut off and surrounded."

Lagan's face went pale and he looked over his own monitors quickly. "This is outrageous. We can still hold them off, push out their blocking force if we counterattack right now!"

Goren shook his head. "We can't afford the casualties it would cost us, General. Our manpower levels are too depleted. We can't afford to lose the rest of the Port Brenner garrison. General… You have to get out of there. Even if you drive off the attack, your position will be untenable."

Lagan worked his jaw angrily for a moment, but nodded, defeated. "I… Understand. Thank you, General," he bit out, then cut the transmission.

Goren sighed heavily. An entire city, and a major strongpoint, lost. Taking Port Brenner had been a major coup for them, but they had never been able to strengthen the strung out area along the coastline. This operation had Andrew Darkstar's fingerprints all over it. He had been their greatest asset… Now, he could very well be their greatest threat. _Commander… What in the world are you doing…?_

_Author's Note: I'll admit, I felt bad about my treatment of Fate so far, so I really wanted her to kick butt in this part. As for Signum… well, she's just awesome, so I made her awesome. Is Lagan a bit of an idiot, especially for not considering that Andrew might give up vital information? Yes he is, but despite his dislike of Andrew, can't bring himself to quite believe that he'd turn against them—he doesn't understand Andrew; like Goren says, he doesn't realize Andrew is motivated by principle, not cowardice. Goren is also a bit of an idiot for not going behind Lagan's back, but… It's not really in his character to do that. Like Andrew, he's submerged himself for the sake of his people, but unlike Andrew, his ideals and some of his initiative has been wiped away by cynicism and bitterness. Also, one of the problems they have is that with Andrew gone, there's no clear chain of command; technically, Andrew didn't directly answer to either of them despite them being higher ranking, and their jobs were to support him. Now that he's gone, command authority is split, and neither have the position or rank to issue commands to the other or the forces under their control._

_Speaking of that, by the way, in case you were wondering the whole time, the Arcadian officer ranks go, in ascending order: Sub-Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, Commander, General. In US military terms, Andrew is about equivalent to a full Colonel or a one star General._

_Having Vivio and her friends gave me an opportunity to talk a bit about what the news was saying, but unfortunately, they're all 9, so you only get the bare bones. I'm sure they'll understand later—I was the same way when the Berlin Wall fell, and the Persian Gulf War, no idea what was going on at the time, figured it out when I was older._


	13. Chapter 13

_Author's Note: severstal: Mostly, yes, money from Arcadia is being siphoned off-world, and they're pretty much doing the bare minimum to maintain the place, along with giving the Arcadian Senate a bit of money to use to try and keep them placated--they've taken the tack of 'the Arcadians could be dangerous, so we won't repair their world' instead of fixing the mess, removing the conditions which are causing the hatred and bitterness. Most people just don't know the measures that have been enacted there. It's mostly an 'out of sight, out of mind' sort of deal. Travel to and from there is heavily restricted, the events have been stricken from a lot of history; everyone's taught that the uniting of Dimensional Space was this great and noble thing, and the Council mostly just wants to forget about it, though we find out later it's certainly not everyone who feels this way. Lagan is interesting… Yeah, he comes off as a total nasty, but he actually does have a point a lot of the time. As for why they're there… Now that you've mentioned it, it does seem kinda silly. I wanted Andrew to be able to tell them off personally, as I felt it heightened the drama, but it opens up some questions as you pointed out, like why they didn't pursue and capture them. If I had to do it now, I'd probably have it be an aide, and they speak through holographic channel... As for Andrew, basically, he wanted to believe that Goren at least was a good enough man to not do it… Like I've said, he's an idealistic person who wants to believe in the best in everybody, and it gets him in trouble once again. He was really fooling himself the whole time; basically, after he wondered about it in the cave, he convinced himself it couldn't possibly be happening because to him it's unthinkable. And no, there's nothing wrong with Lagan ordering her arrest, from the Arcadian point of view. At this point, though, Andrew thinks they've screwed themselves, and wants Nanoha at least to get back to be able to tell everyone what's happening and hold up her pledge to help him… He didn't actually expect to have to fight like he did, just keep them from going after her, but when it started, he dropped back into his Black Reaper persona… And afterwards, he pretty much wants to go back and face execution for what he's done, but Nanoha convinces him to live on and keep fighting. As far as him planning the battle, that's mostly because he knows more about the immediate situation, and came up with an idea, which Nanoha presented to Hayate… I thought it was amusing in a silly sort of way, and had Hayate say so. Strictly speaking, yeah, it probably isn't necessary for him to know where they are… but he knows pretty much everything about their deployments. Lagan didn't think he'd talk; neither did Goren actually, but thought it would be prudent to be safe. I wondered if anyone would notice that reference… But no, they're not in vehicles, though they have small transport craft with them--they can use some of the communications equipment but not the sensors while in transit. Goren's telling them to pack up all they can and move somewhere outside the blast area._

**Fulham Airbase…**

It was full night by the time Hayate and the others returned to the base. As they landed, along with a few of the wounded, cheers went up all about the tarmac. It was the TSAB's biggest victory so far this war. Almost no one knew it had been largely due to the man who had been dealing them their biggest defeats up to that point, and none of those who knew were about to tell them. They needed the morale boost more than anything else.

More than just pushing the enemy out of Port Brenner, however, it had also vindicated the status of the TSAB aces, who up until this operation had been almost completely suppressed by Andrew Darkstar every time they took the field. Already, as they made their way to the operations center, could they hear muted conversation, whispers that the war would surely be over in less than a week at this rate. Hayate knew better.

Nanoha turned to greet them as they walked in. "Fate-chan, Hayate-chan, Signum-san, welcome back. Good work out there."

Signum smiled, Agito sitting on her shoulder. "I wish you could have been out there with us, Takamachi. But your coordination here really helped us out, too."

Hayate nodded, looking over the map. "Yeah, it was a good thing you caught that response group. It could have caused a lot of trouble for us if they had gotten through or managed to catch Fate-chan's group off guard." Looking back at Nanoha, she asked, "What's the overall situation?"

Nanoha pointed to the map. "Well, all enemy forces have retreated from Port Brenner, reestablishing the line here, 40 miles south. Based on their troop movements, I think they managed to get command posts in these two sectors operational again." She looked over at Signum. "Signum-san, you mentioned earlier that they had abandoned quite a bit of hardware in the city?"

Signum grunted an affirmative. "It looked like they were setting up an even tighter net of air defense batteries, and we encountered some automated sentry turrets as well. Also, the amount of transports that departed were way too many for the number of troops they could have had there. I think they brought in a lot of equipment on their last drop," she concluded.

Hayate frowned. "We haven't seen a lot of equipment like that that I'm aware of." She turned to Nanoha. "I think you're going to have to talk to Andrew-san again."

None of the women missed Hayate's reference to Andrew Darkstar in a more polite and familiar manner. Well, even Fate had to admit, his information had been as good as advertised, and his plan had worked exactly as it had intended. It certainly spoke volumes of Nanoha's empathy and compassion that she had somehow managed to get even that man to honestly help them.

"I'll make sure and do that," Nanoha assented. "I'm a little worried about our next move, though. The more we push them, the more desperate they'll become, and desperate people can do dangerous, unpredictable things."

Hayate nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. We need to be cautious. But," she added, a smile finally breaking through her professional veneer, "we did really well today."

Even Fate's taciturn mood lifted a little seeing Hayate's real grin, and even Signum's usually stern, dour face brightened, too. Nanoha felt a smile creeping onto her face, too. Well, she thought, I guess the troops weren't the only ones who needed a morale boost, huh?

**TSAB Detention Facility, Three Rivers Military Base…**

Nanoha was really getting tired of the Intelligence officers who were assigned to the detention center. Was this where they stuck the ones with bad attitudes? Every single one she'd encountered so far had been disgruntled and disrespectful. She almost found herself wishing she had accepted one of the promotions offered to her. At least that way she'd have a little more weight to throw around when faced with irritating people.

The guards, meanwhile, gave her their usual conspiring grins, since they hated the Intelligence officers, too. One even confided to Nanoha that she had chatted with Andrew a bit through the door and found him perfectly pleasant as well.

Andrew glanced over as Nanoha stepped through, taking her customary spot across from him. "Hey. Corporal Potter out there told me that you guys won," he remarked, referring to the woman Nanoha had talked to earlier. Nanoha detected the tense note in his voice as he tried to act nonchalant about having assisted in the death of a number of his fellow Arcadians. Nanoha wondered how many men would have broke under the sort of pressures Andrew was under.

"Yeah," she replied softly. She wanted to reach over and comfort him, but wasn't sure how he'd respond. She felt bad, adding to his personal troubles like this, but knew it was what he had chosen. The only thing she could do now was try and support him the best she could. Deciding not to talk about the details, she moved straight to the purpose of her visit. "Signum-san mentioned that she encountered a lot of automated air defense batteries and sentry turrets at Port Brenner. We haven't seen the turrets before, and the AD batteries only sparingly, so we were wondering if there was anything you could tell us about them."

Andrew frowned at that statement and leaned forward. Nanoha's eyes flickered as she read his expression. He was certainly troubled a great deal by what she had told him, and she wondered why. "Could you describe them for me, in as much detail as possible, please?" he asked, eyes taking on a faraway look. Nanoha gave him Signum's description. Pursing his lips, Andrew leaned back, shaking his head. "I can't believe it. Those systems were developed to supplement the Arcadian Home Forces, since we weren't going to be leaving much manpower behind. If they're here in bulk, along with the additional troops, it means they've almost completely stripped Arcadia of its defenses." He clenched his fists angrily. "Those old fools… They're gambling everything here…"

Nanoha leaned forward. "What do you mean?"

Andrew sighed, glancing out the door. "Our initial plan was to cause as much damage with a small force here as we could, and force the TSA to negotiate, like I told you before. Failing that, we wanted to make sure we left behind enough defenses at Arcadia to make a counter-invasion unfeasible or at least extraordinarily costly—that's why we left nearly half of our manpower and almost all of out fleet back on Arcadia. Either way, the better option for the TSA would have been to negotiate, and I think at that point we'd have been willing to settle for less than full independence immediately. But, if the Senate has moved so much men and materiel here… They're putting everything on the hopes of a victory here. Arcadia doesn't have much in the way of large scale defenses; they would have been too difficult to hide from TSAB observers during our buildup. But since the TSA wants the planet intact, a full scale bombardment was unlikely, despite what happened last time."

Nanoha tilted her head. "So, you're saying that right now, Arcadia itself is probably completely exposed?" Alarmed, she glanced about, remembering the Intelligence listening devices.

Andrew waved a hand. "Don't worry about those, the guards were tired of having to do maintenance on them for the Intelligence flunkies so they removed them. Yeah, that's exactly what I mean. What worries me most about that is if the TSAB _does_ go in to try and reestablish control of the planet, there's going to be some angry soldiers, _especially_ in light of the bombings here. In addition, the Council just may be angry and scared enough to authorize bombings themselves, even if it's in violation of treaty—people make reckless decisions when they're angry and frightened like this." He sighed heavily, slumping with trepidation at the prospect. "Things could get really ugly."

Nanoha bit her lip, worried about that possibility herself. She could see why Andrew had been so concerned about the people consumed with revenge amongst the Arcadian officer corps and Senate. If things continued like this, it'd only perpetuate a cycle of hatred, and more and more people would die, and the suffering would only continue. They had to put a stop to this somehow. The alternative was far too terrible to contemplate.

Almost mechanically, Andrew sighed and rattled off information on the turrets and AD batteries, capabilities, weaknesses, tactics, numbers available, while Nanoha transcribed everything. Slowly, after he had finished, Nanoha stood. "90 years… Such a long time… But grudges really can transcend our lifetimes, I guess," she murmured. Looking back at Andrew one last time, she told him determinedly, "I won't let it continue. I'll find a way to put an end to it."

Just as she was about to step back through the door, she heard him whisper in return, "Thank you, Nanoha." She paused only a moment more, before departing. Gripping at her chest, feeling something of the burden he must have felt for so long, she raced down the corridor, the fate of two worlds at stake.

**Fulham Airbase…**

Nanoha was pretty well exhausted by the time she returned to Fulham. The miles she was accumulating shuttling all about, on top of the watches she was pulling in the operations center, were mounting up on here, especially after the last few days. Still, they felt closer than they had been before.

The problem, however, was the scenario Andrew had laid out for her. She didn't have any doubt that Hayate or Fate wouldn't tolerate anything of that nature, and would definitely work with her to help Andrew protect his people from undeserved reprisals, but there was, of course, no guarantee they'd be in charge of any sort of operation attacking Arcadia. Her promises to Andrew were a terrible burden, just the same as the ones he was carrying, but it was what she had chosen, to help him carry the weight of literally an entire world.

Nanoha found Hayate in her familiar place at the central monitor, Rein floating about. Taking a quick glance, it didn't seem the troop dispositions had changed any since she had last been here. Despite that, there was no doubt in Nanoha's mind that Hayate was planning her next move.

"Nanoha-chan. Fate-chan and Signum are out with the troops, but they'll be back later. So… Learn anything?" Hayate asked.

Nanoha nodded and told Hayate what Andrew had told her. "Andrew-kun is really worried. If they're gambling this much on winning here, not only does it leave Arcadia open to attack, it means they'll be all the more desperate as things get worse."

Hayate frowned. "They're certainly not doing themselves any favors… Though I suppose I can understand. Andrew-san, despite his really bold moves sometimes, is advocating a pretty conservative strategy for Arcadia, which makes sense, given their position. Goren, Lagan, and their Senate are being really aggressive, probably because they're being driven more by the desire for revenge, unlike Andrew-san, so they aren't thinking so much about where they go after all this." Hayate favored Nanoha with a small smile. "You see, I think Andrew-san isn't just thinking, 'I want Arcadia to be away from the TSA,' he's thinking, 'I want Arcadia to be free and independent.' The difference is, he's concerned not just with where they are tomorrow, but also 10 years, 20 years, 100 years from now. He wants to rebuild their world. These others are being driven mad by their own feelings and would be happy with any victory, even a pyrrhic one."

That thought made Nanoha shudder. She'd seen enough of a world in flames with the bombing here, and in the destruction she'd seen in a few other Lost Logia cases. "Yeah… Like I thought, if things continue like this, it'll just descend into a cycle of revenge for everyone."

Hayate shook her head firmly. "We won't let that happen, Nanoha-chan. To stop things like this… That's the reason we joined the TSAB." Hayate remembered how they had all worked together, so long ago, to prevent the use of an Arc-en-ciel on Earth. She couldn't possibly back down, not if that sort of disaster could happen again.

Nanoha nodded, resolute smile on her face. "Right."

Hayate smiled back, and gestured at the monitor. "Now, as for what we're going to do next… It looks like we'll be taking a page from Andrew-san's book again. Ideally, we want to retake South Reach, but… It's not actually necessary, nor is it the most prudent action." She moved the map around a bit, indicating some troop deployments. "The city is very well defended, and as you know, not all of the population was evacuated. The Port Brenner plan worked so well because we didn't have to do major fighting within the dense areas of the city itself, so civilians were never in great danger. That wouldn't be the case here, especially since they've had it garrisoned longer."

Nanoha examined the map for a moment. "You mean to bypass South Reach, then?"

Hayate nodded. "That's right. Instead, we'll launch a deep strike into the Arcadian held territory. This is our objective area," she continued, indicating a large basin a little ways north of the initial landing zone. "We believe that this is where their bombers are staging from—with so many of our satellites in that area destroyed in their initial attack, it's hard to pin down an exact spot, and bombing our own world certainly isn't an option. Hopefully, we can take out their attack planes, preventing any more bombings, and put pressure on their defenses at the same time."

Nanoha nodded slowly. "If they're bottled up and split apart, they'll either become irrelevant or be picked off one by one… Divide and conquer."

"It's certainly a classic," commented Signum, stepping through the doorway with Fate, Agito hovering about her shoulders.

Fate greeted the others with a smile before turning to Nanoha. "Nanoha, did that guy… Did Andrew have anything to tell you?"

Nanoha filled them in, and she could see that the conclusions she and Andrew had reached disturbed Fate and Signum as much as they had Hayate. "They certainly are risking an awful lot…" Signum remarked lowly. "Enough of the TSA council is too concerned with politics or too angry to negotiate unless they're holding onto the ledge with one finger that the moderates can't get a word in, and the Arcadians are too desperate and too proud to back down. It's not a good situation."

Hayate nodded, fixing them all with a resolute stare. "That's why it's up to us. We've all gotten to where we are with the belief that one person, if their heart is true, can make a real difference, and can prevent a disaster, even in this huge world. So, we'll find a way through this."

With Hayate's enjoinder, the rest nodded gravely and set to work. Nanoha felt her spirits lifted, seeing her old friends like this, banding together once more. It wa these true feelings between them that had allowed this, had given them the strength they needed so many times. And now, through her, through the feelings in her heart connecting her to Fate, Hayate, Signum, Vita, and all the others, Andrew's feelings would be felt, too. She could see it happening before her. _Don't worry, Andrew, we'll find the way. All of us, together._

It was late afternoon when Hayate stood on the tarmac, a huge armada of ground and aerial mages assembled about her. Since the disaster at South Reach, this was the largest force the TSAB had assembled, and it had taken a lot of string-pulling to get this many troops, especially on short notice—it had also drained almost every single aerial mage available. In only a few minutes, they'd depart, led by Nanoha, Fate, and Signum, on the mission that Hayate hoped would put them on the precipice of victory.

Hayate felt she should say something to the troops, but wasn't sure what. It was easier to just think of the Arcadians as the enemy, to be dealt with decisively, but things weren't so simple. She needed her troops focused, however, and muddling their minds with the politics of the war wouldn't do anyone any good. She decided to keep things straightforward.

"You all know what's expected of you," she announced without preamble. "You all know your duty. We are soldiers, the guardians of the TSA and the protectors of the people of this world and all worlds within Dimensional Space. I know there have been whispers, anger at what has been happening the last few days. I understand your feelings, but they have no place in this battle. Focus only on your duty, on survival, on your mission. We are not avengers. We are soldiers. We are sentinels. With that thought in mind, with that purpose only… Commence operation!" she concluded, voice carrying across the expanse.

With a cheer, the men and women of the TSAB moved out, taking flight, loading transports, their minds steadied and their hearts resolute. Hayate's friends each gave her a last smile and saluted before departing themselves. Watching the activity, Hayate sighed with relief, feeling a bit of her tension release despite the circumstances. _Alright… let's see how it begins._

**Arcadian Command Post…**

Warning lights flashed all about, accompanied by blaring klaxons as General Goren rushed into the command post. Lagan stood in the center, shouting orders while staffers rushed about. The other man looked up as Goren approached, and waved a hand at the monitor.

"They've launched a huge attack, right through the center. I didn't think they had this many forces left available," Lagan growled.

Goren frowned at the display. "There's no way we can hold them off. They're going to penetrate our lines. But why here? It has no particular value…" Goren's voice trailed off as he watched the progress of the advance. Suddenly, he saw what it was. "They're not attacking the line, they're breaching it. This is a penetration strike. Their objective is behind our lines."

Startled, Lagan reexamined the map. "You may be right… If so, then where are they headed? A flank around South Reach?"

Goren shook his head. "No… They're going to bypass it. With this amount of forces, they could have launched a frontal assault and displaced us, but their casualties would also be high. No, they're aiming for a high value target that's lightly defended, behind the front." He traced their course, allowing for a spread along the axis. "Here."

Lagan stared in disbelief. "The air base. They can't know where it is, can they? Their satellite surveillance in this region has been almost entirely neutralized."

Goren shook his head. "No, they probably don't know the exact location, since we only established the base after Commander Darkstar departed, but he knows the combat range of our craft, and they know where we've been attacking, which would given them a general idea of where they must be located."

"If they take out our bombers… They're our only major offensive weapon right now," Lagan muttered. Standing, he turned to one of the staffers. "Scramble all attack craft, right now."

"On an interception?" Goren asked. He wasn't sure if they could stop that attack, even with all their planes.

Lagan shook his head, eyes cold. "No. We can't hold the base. It'll be put out of action no matter what we do. But if that's so, we stab them one last time before we're taken out. We'll hit their major bases and population centers, even if it's a one way trip." He began pointing to various locations. "Fulham Airbase, Port Brenner, Round Rock, Three Rivers, even Cranagan if we can get there."

Goren felt a chill on his spine. Throwing their forces into one last, desperate attack, stripping Arcadia's defenses to inflict more punishment here, it all made him uneasy. They were painting themselves into a corner. It was true, with their force dispositions the way they were, Lagan's move might be their best chance, but… He nodded slowly. "Alright, General, I concur." He turned to their staffers. "Work up a target package. I want it done in five minutes." Turning back to the monitors, he could do nothing else but watch stoically. _We're in it now…_

Nanoha Takamachi wiped her brow, dodging an errant missile. The emplacements the Arcadians were employing were making things tough going, worse than they expected. Still, their progress was good, with Fate's company out front, Signum and Nanoha covering the flanks. Their other problem was harassment by the Arcadian response groups. They were small in number, but they flitted around like pests, picking off a few at a time, never staying for a general engagement.

"Nanoha, we're picking up another AD battery ahead," called Fate over their radios from her position a few miles ahead.

"Roger," replied Nanoha. They'd managed to avoid too many casualties so far. Andrew had told them the batteries were designed to engage high altitude targets, so diving for the deck and closing at full speed could cause them to miss, unable to turn fast enough, which seemed to be working fairly well thus far. Still, with the volume of fire, a few people were getting caught out here and there, and only timely intervention from Signum had saved one of their transports from being hit earlier.

As Nanoha scanned the horizon, her eyes caught the explosion as Fate destroyed the AD battery. At that moment, another group of Arcadian mages came flying in, firing.

"Everyone, scatter and keep moving!" Nanoha ordered, pulling up to face the attackers. "Raising Heart, I'm counting on you!"

"Alright. Divine Buster."

Nanoha's glowing pink beam lanced out, raking the enemy formation. She saw one fall, trailing smoke towards the ground, and it looked like two others had been hit. The group pulled back, attending to their wounded, and Nanoha was content to leave it at that, racing forward to catch back up with her group.

It was at that moment that she spotted it. A huge mass of dark shapes blazing north, just over the horizon on her left. Pulling up, she contacted Fate.

"Fate-chan, I think I just spotted a bomber formation, 52 degrees true relative to my location." She watched them go, eyes straining to find their landing strip, but it must have been just beyond visual range. "I can't quite see the base, I think it's just over the horizon."

"Copy," replied Fate. "How many bombers? They may have more than one base."

Nanoha tried to get a count, but they were far away, and leaving the area fast. "More than twenty, looks like." She paused, thinking back to what Andrew had told her about their numbers, and trying to recall how many had been confirmed destroyed. "Fate-chan," she said slowly, "I think that's their entire force!"

There was silence on the other side. "They're launching a last ditch attack before we can destroy their base," the blonde Enforcer breathed. "We have to intercept that force!"

"This is Signum," interjected the tall knight. "Testarossa, you and I are closest to the base. Even if they're attacking, we need to make sure and destroy the target. I'll cover you, and you take it out."

Fate paused before agreeing. "OK. Nanoha, we'll handle things here. You get those planes."

"Alright. Good luck, Fate-chan, Signum-san." She keyed in the frequency for her task force. "Everyone, this is Captain Takamachi. We're turning back to intercept an enemy force heading towards our lines. They're moving fast, so we need to be quick. Watch yourselves, there may still be some defenses around here."

With that, Nanoha jetted off after the bombers. She was faster in the air than them; she had to trust her force to take care of itself now. If she didn't reach those bombers in time, the rest of the group wouldn't intercept them until they were over their targets. She contacted Hayate back at Fulham.

"Hayate-chan, we have a problem. Enemy bombers have taken off from the base before we could destroy it, and are heading north. I've detached my group to intercept them, but they'll probably be over our airspace before we can reach them."

Hayate's voice crackled over the line. "I understand. I'll scramble what forces we still have here. Good luck, Nanoha-chan."

Gritting her teeth, Nanoha pushed herself to the limit. _Please, get there in time_.

_Author's Note: And it got worse. In case anybody is wondering, as Hayate mentioned, almost all of their available aerial mages are either on this attack, or pulled way back to defend Cranagan, so there's very little defenses against the bombers at the moment. Readers who were paying attention will notice (and hopefully those of you who didn't notice before will now) that Three Rivers, the base where Andrew is being held, was on the attack list, so we'll see what happens there._


	14. Chapter 14

**TSAB Detention Facility, Three Rivers Military Base…**

It was about all Andrew Darkstar could do to not go crazy, cooped up in a 6x6 cell as he was. The only things that ever took his mind off the tedium were his occasional chats with the guards, and Nanoha's brief visits.

It was difficult, knowing that the war was still raging out there, that Arcadians were dying, that Lagan, Goren, and the Senate had set them on the path to destruction, and knowing the only thing he could do was trust in Nanoha. He did truly believe her professions of empathy and compassion, but he wondered just how much she could really do on her own. Even so, it did buoy him at least a little, knowing that she was in this with him, that she would definitely keep her promise to not let him go it alone.

Lying on the hard bench that doubled as the bed, he was suddenly struck from his reverie by a resounding thud reverberating through the building. Frowning, he sat up, placing his ear against the sterile white walls. A few seconds later, another dull sound rumbled, closer this time.

Startled, Andrew leapt to his feet. The base was under attack. It was the only explanation. But this facility was on the edge of the operational range of the Arcadian bombers, so why…?

His thoughts were interrupted by another sound, shaking the foundations of the building, and nearly knocking him off his feet. That one had been close. Even if he was in a hardened structure, that was no guarantee against the Arcadian bombs. If he could get out of here…

He pounded on the door, hoping the guards were still outside. "Hey, you out there? Hey!"

The small vent on the door slid open. It was one of the Intelligence officers, a guard standing nearby. "Shut up. The facility's under attack. We're moving you to a safer location. Don't try anything funny."

It wasn't exactly an idle warning. A skilled SS mage like Andrew, even without a device, could do serious damage. He wouldn't be surprised if they put him in stun cuffs. Just as the door began to crack open, however, there was an earth-shattering boom, and this time Andrew really was knocked off his feet.

Dust and debris choked the air around Andrew, and he coughed, struggling back to his feet and leaning heavily against the door frame, which looked a little misshapen at this point. And no wonder. A bomb had landed mere meters from his present location, shattering the outer wall and leaving a gaping wound looking out over the yard below. Both the Intelligence officer and the guard, whom Andrew didn't recognize, were dead. And overhead, he heard the roar of Arcadian bombers as they razed the base.

"This…isn't good at all," he muttered, wiping the last bits of dust from his eyes. He certainly couldn't stay here. Without his device, even he would be a sitting duck for the bombers. He had to find Shooting Star, and then, maybe he could clear the skies.

As he staggered down the corridor, heading for the central area, where he hoped he could make his way to the storage lockers, he ran into another guard, slumped against the wall, bleeding from a leg wound and groaning miserably. Despite the dire circumstances, he decided he couldn't just walk by and knelt down.

"Commander Darkstar?" they moaned. It was Corporal Potter, the woman who he had befriended here.

"Corporal. Let me see that leg," he ordered briskly.

The wound was deep, tearing some of her quadriceps, but although the bleeding was bad, it wasn't so terrible that any of the arteries were cut, he didn't think. "OK, we'd better try and stop that bleeding before you go into shock," he murmured. The tunic and pants he wore were designed not to rip so prisoners couldn't fashion nooses to commit suicide, so he tore a strip off of Potter's ruined pant leg, wrapping it about her wound.

She groaned with pain as he tightened it. "Hurts like a son of a bitch, sir," she rasped.

"Better than the alternative, soldier," he reminded her. He didn't want to cut off the blood flow, but it looked like the wound was covered and pressured. "Keep pressure on it with your hands," he told her briefly. "OK, where's the medical station?"

Corporal Potter gestured down the hall with her chin, keeping her hands pressed against the wound despite the pain. "Down the main corridor, turn right at the lobby, you'll see it. But sir, they'll arrest you on sight if they see you wandering around unescorted."

"Then you had better accompany me, Corporal. Just keep off that leg, and you'll make it." Reaching out, he hefted her up, and she balanced precariously on one leg, clinging to him unsteadily, one hand still clutching her injured leg. "OK, let's move, soldier."

Together they hobbled down the hallways. At the main lobby, several figures ran in various directions, as more explosions resonated through the building here and there. Noticing them, one of the senior guards rushed over.

"Potter! What happened? And you…" He started to go for his weapon, but hesitated. "What's going on here?"

"What do you think, Sergeant?" snapped Andrew. "I'm helping the corporal to the aid station. You can either stand there looking stupid, or give me a hand!"

The sergeant hesitated a moment longer, then nodded, taking the other side. Together, they made better progress, finally entering the medical wing. A nurse noticed them immediately and rushed over, taking inventory on their injuries. Soon enough, the sergeant and Andrew were relieved of their load, and Potter was taken off for treatment.

"Thanks, Commander, I owe you one," she called, as they wheeled her away.

The sergeant eyed Andrew warily, who was careful not to make any sudden movements as he turned to face the man. "Sergeant, I know you don't have any real reason to trust me, but look. With most of the garrison away, and the defenses already taken out, I'm the only chance you've got to shoot down these bombers. Now, if you want, you can slap some stun cuffs on me and lock me back up, and we can all take our chances, or you can take me to storage, get me my device, and I can take care of these bombers and save these people. So, what's it going to be?" he demanded darkly, fixing the man with a piercing stare.

The Sergeant looked after Potter for a moment, considering, and thinking of all the rumors he had heard floating around about this man. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he nodded. "Alright. Maybe I'll take some heat for this, but… damn if we couldn't use an aerial mage about now. Follow me."

The two men raced off down the corridor, both hoping they weren't making a terrible mistake.

The corridors were mostly clear of people… living people anyway. They passed several dead bodies on their way to the storage lockers, but none of the other people rushing about stopped them. Skidding about a corner, they entered the room where prisoners' personal items were kept during the duration of their stay. Amazingly enough, the desk sergeant was still there.

"Willis? Don't you have a combat post?" asked the sergeant with Andrew incredulously.

"And what would be the use?" replied Willis. "Our defenses are already gone, and there isn't a single aerial mage on base left."

The sergeant cleared his throat. "Actually, there is one," he replied, gesturing to Andrew, who stepped forward.

"I need my intelligent device. Without it, I can't shoot down those planes outside," he explained.

Willis stared at him. "You've got to be kidding me. Houck, this man is a prisoner, an enemy combatant, and a SS mage! You want me to give him back his device? What makes you think he won't simply turn on us and help those bombers?" Willis demanded to know.

Houck set his jaw, staring the man down. "I don't know, but… He helped Potter when he didn't have to. Took her to the aid station. I hear he's been helping Captain Takamachi fighting the Arcadians. They even say he fought his own people already to help her escape."

Willis frowned. "No way. The White Devil doesn't need help from nobody."

Andrew sighed, leaning in. "Maybe not, but the fact is, Nanoha and I agreed to help each other, no matter what anyone else thought, and that's the truth. It didn't matter that we were enemies. We found the common ground to understand one another, so now, would you please, get me Shooting Star so I can stop those bombers from hurting anyone else!" he implored the man.

Willis regarded him carefully. At that moment, another blast rocked the facility, nearing tossing them all off their feet. Willis straightened, and nodded. "Alright. If you say that White Devil trusts you… And Houck says you really helped one of our people… OK… We're all dead anyways if you don't." Standing, he made his way into the back, and reappeared a minute later with a small box, handing it over to Andrew.

Lifting the lid, Andrew found the gray links and sapphire blue crystals of Shooting Star. He slid the bracelet onto his right wrist, and the device immediately came to life.

"Master. I am detecting several aircraft overhead. IFF indicates they are Arcadian."

Andrew shook his head. "I know, Shooting Star. Things are getting complicated. Lagan and the Senate are launching a last ditch bombing attack, and the people here are in danger. We've got no choice but to stop them… or take them out."

Shooting Star twinkled a moment before responding. "I understand. Prepared to engage, master."

Andrew nodded, placing a hand over the links gratefully. "OK. Set up!"

With a burst of light, Andrew's barrier jacket flashed into existence, the dark coat and armored suit replacing his prison gear. "Barrier Jacket Assault Mode."

Andrew gave Houck and Willis one last glance along with a measure nod, before he was off, racing down the corridor for the first hole he could find. Coming upon an opening in the outer wall, he flew out into the night sky.

All around him, flashes of light burst as planes, relieved of their bombs, strafed the ground. Much of the base had been ruined, but the planes had to be low on fuel, and most had probably already expended their munitions. As he hovered, assessing the situation, he glimpsed one plane streaking in for the large wing which held the medical facility.

Opening a channel to the bombers, he told them, "This is Commander Andrew Darkstar. I am ordering you to cease your attacks at once! Please… I don't want to harm any of you," he pleaded.

There was no response, as the lone bomber still closed in on the medical wing. The others, however, swerved from their paths and started heading towards him.

"They are locking weapons on us, master," Shooting Star reported.

Andrew gritted his teeth. How many more were going to die before this disaster was over? "Shooting Star, Cosmic Blast! Execute!"

The cerulean missiles flashed into existence, careening towards their the bomber heading towards the medical wing. Just as the attacker opened fire, he must have received warning, and began looping about wildly, trying to evade. However, it was already too late, and the bolts blew apart the fuselage. Careful to make sure the wreckage didn't impact on anything, and hoping the pilot survived, Andrew captured it with a bind, lowering it gently to the ground as he sought another target.

They were on him now, and a trio came in, guns blazing. Andrew leapt aside, taking aim. "Solar Flare!"

His electric blue beam holed one fighter, which clipped another, knocking it off course. The third began to loop back around for another pass. Andrew ignored him for the moment, barely managing to hit the first with another bind, and peppering the second with bolts and sending it flaming down. He turned just in time to block the third's second attack before wiping it away with another lancing azure ray; he hadn't had a chance to slow their descents. Staring at the wreckage of the last two for a long moment, he shook his head and steeled himself… He'd never make it through this if he didn't.

There were only two left. Dodging through the torrent of fire he poured on them, they continued their strafing runs, again aiming for the medical wing.

Gritting his teeth, he muttered. "We've got to stop them. Let's go, Shooting Star!"

"Warp Move," intoned his device in its cool tones.

With a flash, his movement magic carried him in front of the medical wing. He was close enough to see the shocked faces of people inside as he erected a shimmering blue shield around the building, then leveled his aim at the incomings.

"Let's blow them away in one hit," he cried. "Solar Wind! Execute!"

The blue beam cut through the sky, sweeping across the two planes, blowing them apart and raining debris down that sparked against the shield. Giving the area one last scan to be sure, Andrew sighed with relief and lowered the shield.

A rising noise behind him caught his attention, and he swiveled. Inside the building, the patients, doctors, and nurses all cheered, waving happily at him. All across the field, more people emerged from holes where they had been hunkered down, arms raised in jubilant celebration. Andrew hovered there for a moment, a little surprised at this powerful outburst of support. Finally, though, he shifted his spear to his left hand and gave them a proper salute, before racing off to the base command post, which was somehow still intact. He needed to know where the other planes were attacking. Hopefully he could get there in time to prevent more damage.

The base commander looked up in surprise as he walked in. Andrew stopped at the threshold, not wanting to seem too much like an intruder. "Sir," he began carefully, "there's got to be other attacks. I might be able to do some more good out there, if you'd let me know where to go."

The commander, a major watched him for a moment, startled, before nodding. "OK, Commander… I don't know why, but you certainly pulled our asses out of the fire, so I won't ask too many questions. Give me a moment."

The screen crackled to life, displaying a harried looking, young brown-haired woman. It was Hayate Yagami. "Major? What's the situation?"

"We've just gotten communications back online, ma'am. The base is pretty well wrecked, and all our defenses are gone," the major told her.

Hayate looked alarmed. "Are you still under attack? I may be able to whistle up a few mages…"

The major shook his head. "Not necessary, ma'am. We got a little help, already."

The major gestured for Andrew to come forward, and he stepped into view of the screen. "Colonel Yagami," he greeted her, trying to focus. "I've got things under control here. All… attackers have been eliminated. The medical wing is pretty well packed, so if you could send an aid unit here, it'd be helpful," he added.

Hayate watched him thoughtfully, having already recovered from her initial surprise. "I see. Thank you, Commander. I know it couldn't have been easy for you to do this."

Andrew nodded slowly. "I did what had to be done, ma'am. Nanoha's told me a bit of what Lagan and the others are up to, so I have to assume more targets are being attacked. I'm at your disposal, Colonel."

Hayate nodded gravely. "Once again, I thank you, Commander." She glanced down at her own screen. "We've managed to fight off the attack here, but a squadron broke off and headed for the outskirts of Cranagan. Nanoha-chan is in pursuit, but it seems like they'll get there before her. I don't know if you can intercept them, but…"

Andrew nodded slowly. "I understand, Colonel. I'll do my best."

"Last they were seen, the planes were on a course of 315 true. Good luck, Commander. Yagami out." The screen went dead, and Andrew made for the exit.

"Commander?" It was the major. Andrew glanced back over his shoulder. "Thank you."

Andrew gave him a gracious nod before stepping out. Once more, the dark sky was above him. Somewhere out there, another group of his fellow Arcadians were launching an attack on unsuspecting, innocent people. And once again, he'd have to kill a little piece of himself to stop them. "War… is such a terrible endeavor," he murmured one more time before taking to the skies, racing northwards.

**Cranagan Outskirts…**

Nanoha Takamachi, the Aerial Forces Ace of Aces, raced across the sky, pursuing the Arcadian planes. She had been chasing them down for most of the afternoon, and now darkness had fallen across Mid-Childa. Every now and then, one of the planes had attacked a target of opportunity, then turned back to delay her; trying to keep the auburn haired woman from reaching the bomber formation before they had a chance to attack their target. She had shot down three of them so far, but each engagement had drawn her away from the main group. She didn't think she could reach them before they were over Cranagan.

She wondered now if Fate should have gone back instead of her. To be sure, Fate had been several miles closer to the air base than she had, but over this distance, that small disadvantage wouldn't have mattered, and Fate was faster in the air.

Just ahead, in the darkness, she caught the fiery flashes. The attack had started. Gritting her teeth, she coaxed every tiny bit of speed she could out of her flight magic. A pursuit like this was exhausting, but she still had more than enough strength to deal with the planes. Whether she could before they dealt horrendous casualties was the thought that haunted her.

Approaching the swarm of bombers, she locked on from long range. It slowed her advance to a crawl, but she could use he Divine Buster even from this distance. "Raising Heart!"

"Yes, my master. Divine Buster Extension."

Nanoha peered through her targeting reticule, and locked onto the nearest bomber as it went in for an attack. "Shoot!"

The incandescent pink beam shot through the night, piercing through the aircraft, several kilometers away. Nanoha had resumed her rapid closure even as the beam impacted. One plane, free of its load, turned in, taking aim at the White Devil. "Axel Shooter, shoot!"

The plane was pierced by several pink globes and fell, trailing smoke. The tenements below were already afire, though, and Nanoha was sure she could hear the screams of frightened citizens even over the roar of the enemy planes.

Eyes burning, she unleashed another volley of projectiles before lancing another target with her Divine Buster. Another came in on a strafing attack, but she blocked it with her barrier before flaming it out of the skies. Turning back to the vicious dogfight, she spotted one plane heading for a sprawling apartment complex which had avoided being a target so far. Nanoha dashed in pursuit, only to be confronted with two more planes, spitting fire at her.

Frustrated and desperate to get through, she hit them with her bolts, sending them careening out of the skies. She was too late. The bomber released its deadly load, and Nanoha cried out in horror.

Suddenly, out of the thick smoke concealing the building, an electric blue beam pierced the darkness, blowing the wing off the offending bomber, before it was snatched by a bind and lowered to the ground. As Nanoha stared in wonder, the smoke cleared, the building intact behind a shining blue dome. Hovering before it like a monolith was a tall athletic man dressed in jet black.

"Andrew-kun," she breathed, eyes wide with shock at his sudden appearance. She almost didn't notice another plane attacking her in her surprise, before twisting and holing it with a shot from her Divine Buster.

Nearby, another plane broke apart, hit by several blue bolts. Andrew floated over next to her, and the two mages stared at one another silently for a long moment, the immediate danger over for now.

Andrew coughed, breaking the still air between them. "Uh, we should contact rescue services, and then get down there," he remarked.

Nanoha blinked. "Oh, right. I'll get Hayate-chan on the line." Andrew nodded as he raced downwards. Hayate's face resolved into view on Nanoha's holograph. "Hayate-chan? It's Nanoha-san. I've stopped the attack on Cranagan… Andrew-kun showed up at the last minute, and saved an apartment," she told the other woman, question evident in her tone.

"He made it after all?" asked Hayate, sounding relieved. "Good. I wasn't sure. After he drove off the attackers from Three Rivers…"

"He drove off attackers from Three Rivers? How did things end up like that?" asked Nanoha, incredulous at this turn of events. Not that she was ungrateful for the assistance, but this wasn't anything she would have imagined happening.

Hayate shrugged. "I'm not really sure, but I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. How bad is the damage?"

Silently, Nanoha cursed herself for getting caught up in the surprise of Andrew's arrival. "Oh, right. It looks like there's three blocks mostly destroyed, another two damaged and afire. Andrew's trying to evacuate as many people as he can right now, and I'm about to join him, but we need assistance from the rescue squad and emergency relief services."

"Alright," Hayate replied, "I'll get in touch with them and send help immediately. Good work, Nanoha-chan."

As Hayate cut the transmission, Nanoha looked over the burning suburb one last time before diving in to help Andrew evacuate people, she couldn't but think that she couldn't possibly consider this a good job.

The two mages spent the next three hours pulling people out of buildings, shoring up damaged walls with their magic, and assisting the special rescue squad in reaching exceptionally dangerous areas. Finally, the fires out and all the survivors evacuated, they caught a break.

Nanoha sat heavily on the bumper of a special rescue truck, sighing to herself with exhaustion. Not only the long pursuit and the fight at the end, but this amount of work on top of that had left her drained. Andrew sat next to her, looking rather weary himself, but still looking much sharper than she felt. As another wave of fatigue washed over her, she felt herself fall slightly to the side before her shoulder bumped against Andrew's.

"Oh, sorry about that," she apologized, giving herself a shake and trying to refocus.

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. You look like you're about ready to collapse here on the spot," he remarked.

Despite herself, Nanoha managed a weak chuckle. "Yeah, that's about how I feel, too." Lifting her chin, she stared up at the starry sky. "In the end, a lot of people still died here."

"Yeah… But a lot more would have if it hadn't been for you, Nanoha," he replied softly. "After all, you chased after them for hours, shot down most of the planes after that, and still managed to save a lot of people from the fires out there. That's remarkable, and there's no one who'd disagree."

Nanoha glanced sidelong at him, before smiling lightly. "I guess so… Even though it was Andrew-kun who blocked that last bomb." Sighing a bit, she looked back up. "Even as strong as I am now, no matter how powerful a person gets, they're still just a human being, with faults and weaknesses. And even when we do our best, sometimes that's not enough."

Andrew followed her gaze before blowing out a breath and standing. He thought of all the people who had still been killed, despite their efforts… And of all the Arcadians who had died by his own hands. "Then next time, we'll do better. That's all we can do," he murmured, fist clenched tightly.

Nanoha looked at him again, standing there like an immovable pillar, gaze cast into the infinite darkness above them. "Yeah," she agreed softly. "So, we'll definitely do better next time." Slowly, she got to her feet beside him. "No matter what it takes, we'll do better next time."

_Author's Note: If I wanted to do something really dark, I'd examine what happens to Andrew after the conclusion of this story. The guy's already offered himself up for execution once, and he's going to have a really hard time once everything's over, even if other people forgive him for it. He'll never forgive himself, no matter what he accomplishes... Finding true happiness is going to be tough for him. When this is all over, he'll probably throw himself into his work, partly because it has to be done, partly to forget, and partly to repent for what he's done._


	15. Chapter 15

**Fulham Airbase…**

It was early morning, the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon, when Andrew and Nanoha arrived at Fulham. The scene of devastation that greeted them sent them reeling again. Most of the buildings had been leveled, and they learned that the main barracks and hangar had both been completely destroyed. Hayate had managed to protect the operations center and, with help from some of Nanoha's troops that arrived, destroy the attackers. Still, the damage and casualties had been immense.

"The only fortunate part," Hayate was telling them as they walked across the ruined tarmac together, "was that they didn't have enough planes to strike at more targets, so the damage is confined to only a few places. But, the places they did hit suffered a lot of damage. The suburb you two protected was the lightest hit by a long shot."

"I suppose that's something then," Nanoha admitted slowly.

Hayate nodded. "Yeah. And, the damage would have been much worse at Three Rivers if not for Andrew-san's actions. Thanks to that, in addition to all the information you've been giving us, I managed to get permission from the general staff for you to remain active out here. There are some people in the Council not happy about it, but a lot more recognize what you did… Hopefully it'll make things easier in the long run."

Andrew nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Colonel Yagami. I wasn't exactly looking forward to going back to a cell." He paused, glancing about. "I suspect that things could be getting worse rather than better after this."

Hayate sighed heavily. "Yeah. Fate-chan and Signum destroyed the air base well enough, but with all the bombers having been scrambled already, it doesn't do us much good. The Arcadian position is even more untenable, but it looks like they're going to fight for every inch. They're probably hoping the TSA council doesn't realize they've got nothing left to defend Arcadia itself, and the battles here will convince them they can't take the planet."

"Do you really think an outcome like that will really happen?" asked Andrew darkly.

Hayate pursed her lips and shook her head. "The damages here have been so extreme… There's a lot of loud voices demanding revenge, and more are joining them every day. The moderates, along with Carim and the other Saint Church representatives are holding them back for the moment, but who knows how much more support they'll be able to drum up? They recognize Andrew-san's actions, but they have to be convinced that not everyone on Arcadia should suffer for this, or even wanted this."

Andrew set his jaw, looking off in the direction of the front lines. "Looks like we don't have a choice, then… If people are screaming for blood, the only way to placate them is to give them some."

Nanoha stepped in front of him, eyes flickering with concern. "What do you mean by that? You can't be thinking of taking the responsibility for this."

Andrew shook his head. "Not in the way you're thinking… I'll have to face the people of Arcadia for this, though…" He turned to Hayate. "A fast, hard strike against the remainder of the Arcadian forces in the field, bypassing the troops at South Reach… If we can capture the landing area quickly, along with Goren and Lagan, they won't be able to tell the Senate what's happened. After that, we can embark a small force to Arcadia, and arrest the Senators and senior officers responsible for the civilian bombings here, and offer them up for tribunal before the council. It won't free Arcadia, and we'll have to surrender to avoid reprisal, but…" He clenched his fists, expression hard. "I swore, that even if it takes 1000 years… Arcadia can't be free if everyone on Arcadia dies, for the pride of a few men. I won't let that happen. Even if I'm branded a traitor, I can accept that, knowing that Arcadia still has a chance."

Nanoha stared at him, heart heavy. Somehow, she knew it'd come down to this. That Andrew, even if he ended up being a hero who saved his world, would have to become the villain in order to keep their spirits strong. But would it be enough? Would all his sacrifices be enough to keep his people safe, and someday, make them free?

Hayate sighed heavily, considering Andrew's proposed plan of action. "Your idea does have some merit," she admitted finally. "It mollifies some of the hardliners by giving them those responsible for the orders, keeps the greatest number of people alive, probably. But, how are we supposed to get a force onto Arcadia and escape with a bunch of Senators? Even if they don't have a planetary defense grid, their fleet is still intact for the most part, and I assume such people are going to be guarded."

Strangely, Andrew only gripped his left arm and gave Hayate a peculiar stare. "Being the scion of the Darkstar line has its advantages," he told her mysteriously. "I can get us onto the planet. After that, it's only a matter of waiting until a Senate session is called to discuss the war effort; everyone we want will be there—it won't be hard, they'll be meeting almost every day, I'd wager. Don't worry; I can get us into the Senate chambers, too."

After a moment, Nanoha sighed and nodded. "Geez. That's how it is, then, I guess. It looks like we'll be relying on you, Andrew-kun."

Andrew smiled slightly at Nanoha's words of support. "And I'll be relying on you, Nanoha."

Nanoha flushed, embarrassed at his sudden words. "Oh, but…"

"I can't do all of this alone. Getting onto the planet and into the Senate is one thing; escaping with a lot of prisoners in tow is another. But a small team of high level mages could do it," he declared resolutely. "Beyond that, in a capture operation… I'm nearly useless," he admitted. "I'm terrible at non-lethal magic. All I'd have are bind spells. If things go south, I'll need you."

Hayate sighed heavily. "Geez. Looks like I don't have a choice, do I?" Her face turned more serious. "OK. Andrew-san, we'll need to work up a plan to execute this. As for the team to go to Arcadia… You and Nanoha-chan are a given, along with Fate-chan and Signum. But I think we might need a couple more people."

"I think a couple ground mages would be useful," Andrew remarked. "Six people… It'll have to do."

Nanoha considered, turning to Hayate. "Are Tea and Subaru recovered? They'd be my first choices, if available."

Hayate tapped her chin and turned to her Unison Device. "Rein, do you know? I can't recall when they'll be cleared for a return to duty."

"Ah, I think they're going to be released from the hospital later today," answered the tiny floating faerie.

"That should give us enough time. It'll take a couple days to put this on," Andrew commented. "And if Nanoha is vouching for them, they'll definitely do the job."

Nanoha chuckled knowingly. "They're the pair that gave you so much trouble when you were trying to reinforce the line."

Andrew cocked an eyebrow, remembering the blue-haired girl on the rollerblades, and the red-haired gunner who had hit him with a Starlight Breaker. "I see. They'll definitely do fine."

Before night had fallen, Hayate had managed to get permission from the general staff to launch the operation, though it wasn't clear to Hayate that they were prepared to inform the TSA Council at the moment, though some of the Councilors surely knew. Perhaps they were waiting to see if the mission was a success or not. Hayate couldn't really blame them. With a situation like this, there was so much political maneuvering, with people playing every possible angle that no one really wanted to stick their necks out unless they absolutely had to. At the very least, though, the generals had understood the necessity of the operation Andrew had suggested, and what it would mean in they pulled it off.

It had been something of a rude surprise for Tea and Subaru to be pulled for a special mission immediately upon their discharge from the hospital, though once they learned some of the details, they were raring to go. Surprisingly, they quickly accepted at face value Nanoha's assurances that Andrew was on their side, and didn't seem to hold any grudge for their own defeat. True, Andrew had done much more now to earn the trust of those he had earlier fought against, but it was still a very quick turnaround for the two. Fate, for instance, was only really now starting to understand why Nanoha believed in him the way she did, thanks to a combination of Andrew's actions, Signum's words, and faith in her closest friend.

That night, as the stars were beginning to wink into existence in the sky, the six of them, plus Rein and Agito, stood in the operations center while Hayate and Andrew detailed the specifics of the operation.

"It'll be similar to our attack the other day, striking deep into Arcadian held areas," Hayate explained. "The attack squads will move in and take control of the Arcadian landing zone. We absolutely have to take one of the Arcadian heavy transports intact, or else this operation is for nothing. When the landing field is taken, the squads will form a perimeter, and the strike team will board the transport and head for Arcadia."

Tea raised a hand. "Um, excuse me, but, wouldn't it be easier to use a dimensional transport spell to get onto the planet?" Using a transport seemed a bit of a runaround to her when most of them could use dimensional transport magic.

Hayate glanced at Tea, shaking her head. "Subaru can't use dimensional transport magic, and if things go as planned, you'll be returning with up to two or three dozen prisoners. Even with a teleportation expert, which we don't have available for the strike team, it'd be incredibly difficult and risky. If we're going to need a transport to get out, then it'll be safer to take one with us." With that, she gestured to Andrew to continue the briefing.

Andrew stepped forward. "Speed is absolutely essential. We have to absolutely make sure that they don't get a message out, or it'll make infiltrating the planet far more difficult. There won't be many troops within the landing zone, a few reserves and guards, along with whoever is at the aid station. Don't think they won't press some of the wounded to fight," he added seriously, "because they will. The main concern is going to be defensive arrays, along with possible counter-attacks from forces still in the field. Nanoha, Enforcer Harlaown, and Lieutenant Signum all encountered some of the defensive emplacements they'll be using. Believe me, the batteries will be even tighter here."

There was a low murmur throughout the group. Tea and Subaru looked the most worried; as ground mages, they'd be in transports for much of the initial engagement, with no way to fight back. Nanoha slowly nodded. "Alright… If that's the case, then there's nothing to do but fight, and blow through them with maximum power. This mission is our best chance, so we've got to give it all we've got."

Fate stepped forward, face serious. "If it means we can end this conflict, then it's what we have to do."

Signum smiled to herself. "Hmm. It looks like everyone's feelings are the same. So, we'll definitely go forward."

As everyone voiced their support, Nanoha turned an eye to Andrew, smiling lightly at the man she had promised to stand by. It was like she had thought; through her connections with her friends, Andrew's feelings had reached them all, so they'd stand by him now, too. Noticing Nanoha's look, Andrew nodded slowly in appreciation, returning her warm smile with one of his own. With all of these people, he thought, maybe I can pull this off after all.

After the meeting broke, the soldiers filed out of the operations center, most heading off to find a place to get some sleep for their early start the next morning; no mean feat, seeing as how most of the berthing facilities were rubble. Nanoha, however, found Andrew standing out on the tarmac, staring up at the night sky. She watched him for a long moment before approaching.

She followed his gaze, then turned back to the man, remarking softly, "You look like your mind is a long way from here."

Andrew didn't turn to her. "Yeah… You know, when I left Arcadia a couple weeks ago, I didn't imagine I'd be returning like this. So much has happened. When I try and think about it, I wonder how it all could have possibly come out like this."

Nanoha stepped next to him, trying to recall if you could see her home solar system from here. "You never can tell how your life is going to end up," she murmured. "It seems like only a little while, but also a lifetime ago that I was just a little girl who didn't know anything about magic, on Earth."

Andrew finally looked at her, face a little puzzled. "I've never heard of the place," he admitted.

She shook her head, smiling fondly at her memories. "I'm not surprised. To the TSAB, it's officially Un-Administrated World #97. There's no knowledge of magic, but sometimes there're people like me and Hayate who have the potential."

Andrew's eyes flickered. "Colonel Yagami is from the same planet as you?" He chuckled softly to himself, glancing away. "Really… Now that I think about it, there's so little I actually know about you, Enforcer Harlaown, and Colonel Yagami. All I learned was about your abilities, to try and figure out how to beat you. It was always easier, I guess, to think of you all as targets rather than people. After seeing Vivio, though, and after being in that cave together… I just couldn't think that way anymore."

"Life finds ways of surprising you… The first time I met Fate, we fought, you know," Nanoha told him. "She and I were after the same Lost Logia. Things were… difficult for her at that time, and it ended up like that, but now, I can't imagine my life without her. Next to Vivio, she's my most treasured person." She gave Andrew a friendly bump with her elbow, smiling. "So, it's not so unusual that we ended up as friends. If your heart is true, and you give it your all, your feelings are certain to reach one another in the end."

Andrew stared at Nanoha, amazed at this woman's capacity for compassion and kindness. Finally, he smiled at her, and shook his head in wonderment. "Heh… I guess I shouldn't be surprised, should I? That so many other people have been saved by your kindness." Nanoha's eyes flickered, and she glanced away, a little embarrassed by his praise. "Truly, Nanoha," he continued a moment later, "I'm grateful for everything. No matter how it turns out in the end, thank you."

Nanoha turned back to look at him, and found herself wondering if, when she had first encountered him what seemed like so long ago, she could have believed there could be this much warmth on his face. "Geez," she commented, smiling back broadly, "Didn't you say it a long time ago?" She thought of how he had saved Vivio, saved her own life, how she had looked after him when he was hurt, and now how he said she had saved him that day with her promise to not let him face his burdens alone. "We're even…"

It wasn't yet dawn when the task force assembled on the ruined tarmac. It was quiet as the soldiers checked their weapons and equipment and steeled themselves for what was coming. Word had already percolated through the ranks; win this one, and the war would be over. They knew what was at stake, and what they had to do. Not a single person could imagine letting Hayate and the others down.

Tea glanced about as she and Subaru did final checks of their gear. She and the blue-haired cyborg were two of the very few ground mages here. From what she knew of the particulars of the operation, it made sense, since speed was crucial. There wasn't going to be much stand up fighting to be had, and deep inside enemy territory, ground mages would need to be carried to the front, in vulnerable transports. It frustrated her a bit that she wouldn't be taking part in much of the operation, though it was somewhat mollifying that their part would be of the utmost important; being as they were part of the strike team that would go to Arcadia itself. Subaru didn't seem distracted outwardly; Tea wondered if that were actually the case. Subaru could at times be either the biggest worrywart Tea knew, or the least concerned about anything.

Looking across the crowded tarmac, Hayate gave one last nod of approval, turning to Nanoha, Fate, Signum and Andrew. "OK. Looks like we're ready to go. Good luck, everybody," she told them gravely. "I wish I could go with you."

It troubled Hayate that there was nothing she could do this time except stay back here and direct the battle. Placing her subordinates in harm's way while she remained behind the lines… She could never get used to it, especially if the people she was sending into danger were her friends.

Nanoha laid a hand on Hayate's arm. "We know, Hayate-chan… But you'll be with us, in our hearts, so don't be afraid. We'll all definitely come back safely, and we'll definitely find a way to end this." She hefted her staff, smiling tightly. "That's a promise, on my words as Nanoha Takamachi, Ace of Aces, holder of Raising Heart, Gem of Unyielding Spirit."

Fate stepped up with Nanoha, nodding sternly. "Me as well, Fate Testarossa Harlaown, wielder of Bardiche, Axe of Light."

With a smile of her own, Signum nodded. "Signum, Blazing General of the Wolkenritter, wielder of the Sword of Flame, Lævateinn."

Subaru stuttered, trying to think of something she could say, but Tea just sighed and clapped her on the back, saying, "Us, too, Subaru Nakajima, the Silver Ace, and Teana Lanster, though I don't have any fancy names like the rest of you." The others grinned at her joke, before, as one, turning to Andrew, who blinked at the sudden attention.

Andrew hesitated for a second, before he saw Nanoha nodding reassuringly at him. Finally, he chuckled lightly to himself and said, "Andrew Darkstar, the Black Reaper, holder of Shooting Star, Light of the Heavens."

Hayate smiled at all of them, eyes wet, and nodded firmly. "OK. Then I, Hayate Yagami, Mistress of the Night Sky, will be awaiting you."

With one last smile, the rest of them turned, shouting to the rest of the task force to make ready. As the ground mages raced aboard the waiting transports, the aerial mages lifted from the ground, and as one, the group dashed off to the south, one last time.

All of them dashed through the skies, in the familiar formation they were in previously. The only difference was, as Andrew had predicted, resistance was stiffer than before. More and more groups flew up to harass them, and it certainly seemed as if the defensive emplacements were getting thicker the closer they got to their objective.

Andrew flew alongside Nanoha on the left flank, keeping his eyes open for any incoming attackers while she scanned the ground. They were less than 50 miles from the landing zone now, and the opposition would definitely be starting to figure out their objective. They had to be quick.

There was a flash of light on the periphery. Whirling, Andrew spotted a storm of incoming projectiles. "Nanoha!" he called out in warning, before moving to screen off the rest of their force.

Reacting immediately, Nanoha moved to protect the vulnerable transports from the attacks in a pattern that had become familiar to them over this journey. As the last of the bolts impacted on their barriers, they spotted the attackers, hovering a distance away.

Floating forward, Nanoha leveled her buster at them, preparing to fire. Andrew suddenly held a hand up. "Wait a moment, Nanoha. They aren't attacking."

The auburn haired woman glanced at him a moment, then nodded, relaxing a fraction. The mage in the center of the opposing group stared at them before calling out.

"Why… How could you do something like this?" he cried out. It was Lieutenant Cross, one of the young, but talented officers Andrew had served with during this campaign. "All of us, we respected you, we looked up to you. You were our hero, the last son of the Darkstars. So why?" he demanded.

Andrew stared at Cross for a long moment before responding. "I know… And that's what makes what I have to do all the harder, Markus," he replied, addressing the mage by name. "But what our leaders are doing here… This isn't going to free Arcadia. All this is going to do is turn everyone against us. We can't buy our people's freedom with the blood of innocent people. We came to fight here because we believed there was no other way, but that doesn't justify what's happened."

"So this is your answer, then?" the young man replied hotly, and even from here, Andrew could see the tears of anger and betrayal streaming down his face. "To turn your back on Arcadia? To turn from your duty, your responsibility? You and I..." he continued, placing his hand over his heart, "the both of us, are nobles of Arcadia, sworn to protect it. I may not be as high born as you, the Cross family may not be as honored as the Darkstar, but we hold our duty just as sacred! How could you of all people betray us?"

Andrew shook his head sadly, and Nanoha knew how much this had to pain him, to face these accusations. Everything that had been demanded of him, he saw it in this young man before him. "Our duty… is to protect Arcadia. Even if that means protecting it from its own leaders," Andrew said quietly. Markus Cross recoiled from that statement, startled. "The Senate… General Lagan, General Goren… What they've done could destroy our world, rain fire upon it once more. The revenge that they desire, that so many of our people want, it won't save us; all it can do is destroy us, and perpetuate a cycle of hatred that will cause even more suffering. That's why," he continued resolutely, eyes burning like the sun, "I've chosen this path; even if I become hated, even if I'm seen as a traitor, even if I die, my name, my family's name cast into oblivion, no matter what, even if it takes another 1000 years, I will somehow see Arcadia free! I'll gladly suffer any punishment given to me, if it means our people are safe to one day seek their freedom again!"

Cross tried to hold Andrew's fiery gaze, but failed, looking away. Finally, he nodded sadly, body slumping in the face of Andrew's feelings. "I… understand, Commander. I'm sorry." He suddenly released his device. "I surrender."

The rest of his men looked on in shock for a moment, staring between him and Andrew before finally, one by one, they too shut down their weapons. Nanoha quickly directed a few people to take them into custody.

As they were taken away, Cross spoke once more. "Commander, I… I may not completely agree, but… I understand why, and I also… I still believe in you. That's why, I'll trust that if anybody can save Arcadia, it's you."

Andrew watched him go, before flying back to join Nanoha and catch back up with the attack force. Only Nanoha, flying beside him, could hear him whisper, "I won't let you down, Lieutenant, I promise… I will save our world."

The two caught up to the rest of the task force, which hovered within sight of the landing zone; Nanoha could just make it out on the horizon. However, she sensed something amiss; quite a few mages, and a number of transports, were missing, and she realized the air before them was filled with a dispersing cloud of smoke.

"What's happened?" she asked breathlessly.

Fate turned a serious gaze to Nanoha, speaking quietly. "We've hit a snag. The entire area has a huge defensive grid around it. We lost a lot of people in their first volley. There was so much fire, dodging was almost pointless."

Signum grunted lowly. "I think the four of us may be able to break through and punch a hole in the lines, but… It'll be dangerous, even for us."

Fate nodded gravely. "We don't have much other choice, though; even your Divine Buster Extension barely has enough range, and it'd take a long time to make a gap large enough by yourself."

Nanoha pursed her lips. Fate was right; at this distance, only her super long range magic would do this trick; both Fate and Signum were close range fighters. As she made to reply, however, Andrew floated forward, holding a hand in front of her.

"I can take care of it," he stated firmly.

The others glanced at him, surprised. "Really? I've never seen you use any super long range magic," Nanoha commented.

Andrew shrugged. "Well, there's a reason for that. All I've got at that distance are wide area bombardment spells. Nothing like what Hay…Colonel Yagami has, but…"

Nanoha thought again about the conversation they'd had about the way Andrew fought, how he wasn't a specialized combatant. If that were true, then he'd definitely… She nodded. "OK. Then we'll be relying on you, Andrew-kun."

Andrew returned her nod briskly. "I'll need everyone to clear the area in front of me. Because of the way this spell is, I can't control the shots too well." As they set about clearing a path for his attack, Andrew took a deep breath. It'd been a long time since he'd used this kind of magic. The truth was, despite its devastating range and power, there weren't many practical uses for it in combat, since your own allies were liable to be caught up in it.

Andrew, alone at the front of the column now, formed the necessary sigil, power flowing through him. "OK…"

A large firing array, a floating group of three circles forming a triangle, along with one more on each side, flashed into existence before him. For several seconds, each part of the array grew brighter as the spell charged, until finally, Andrew pressed the tip of his spear through the center.

"Omnistrike!"

With a roar, a rapid-fire succession of missiles erupted from the array, raining upon the area before them. Moments later, the missiles began impacting, and dozens of explosions ripped through the landscape.

"I see," murmured Nanoha. "It's a barrage type spell; instead of one big attack, it's dozens of smaller ones."

The attack continued for nearly a minute. At the end of it, a wide area before them, which had been dotted with a huge concentration of emplacements, had been reduced to a smoking ruin. The firing array shut down, and Andrew turned to the rest of them, breathing a little heavier than before. "Alright, let's go."

Instantly, the task force moved out, following him through the gap, though they still took sporadic fire on the flanks. Nanoha caught up with Andrew, giving him a sidelong glance. "I was a little surprised, you know," she commented. "I didn't think Andrew-kun had that sort of magic, too, but I guess you really do know a bit of everything."

"I guess," he replied, not looking at her. "That was the first super long range bombardment spell I ever learned. It was my great-grandfather's."

"Ah… You mean that Shrike Darkstar?" Nanoha asked. "I thought the naming convention didn't sound like yours."

He nodded. "Yeah. I didn't really want to learn them at first; they had already crammed so much into me. But when they told me he had used this spell to protect Arcadia in the past, well… I gave in."

_I see_, thought Nanoha. So it was for the sake of Arcadia again, but also… to feel a connection to his dead ancestor, who had lost his life fighting for the world Andrew now sought to protect.

As they came within sight of the base, more guards flew up to meet them, despite the overwhelming odds. The guards simply opened fire indiscriminately, not bothering to defend, hoping to score casualties. A few more people fell before the attackers were subdued or shot down. Still, they were making good progress.

Andrew skidded to a stop, Nanoha beside him. "There, at the extreme left and right. The communications towers," he told her.

She nodded, and took aim at one, while he leveled his device at the other.

"Divine Buster!"

"Solar Flare!"

The two fired as one, wiping out the structures, as Fate and Signum raced to secure the transports. The crews, mostly unarmed, surrendered without resistance. The TSAB transports at that point began offloading their own troops to establish a perimeter. Meanwhile, Andrew and Nanoha headed for the main command post, where he was sure Goren and Lagan would have retreated to now that South Reach was threatened.

The two mages burst inside, their barriers immediately struck by fire from several staffers. None of the shots got through their defenses, however, and Nanoha immediately subdued all the attackers with her binds. Lagan and Goren, slowly standing from where they had taken cover, looked at them, Goren with an expression of disappointment, Lagan, pure rage.

"You…" Lagan started, shaking with fury. "After everything else, you even come here, with TSAB forces… Do you have any idea what you've done, you insolent fool?"

"I've done what I had to in order to secure our planet's future, general. If I'm vilified until the end of time by our people, then it was worth the price," Andrew responded coldly.

Goren fixed Andrew with a frustrated glare. "You realize, Commander, due to the steps we've taken here, the TSA council will want to attack Arcadia directly, now that our forces here have been effectively defeated. Do you know what will happen when that occurs?"

Andrew returned his gaze, not backing down an inch. "The steps you've taken? Why not call a crime by what it is, General?" he replied, voice hard. "As for what the TSA might order, I am not going to let that happen, General. Oh, they'll get their pound of flesh. But it's going to be yours and the Senate's, and if necessary, mine."

"And so the great Darkstar family becomes heroes again, is that it, Commander? So eager you are to sacrifice yourself," sneered Lagan. "And what about our people's future? What about their chance for freedom?"

"It's hard to be free if you're dead," remarked Andrew dryly. "Our people will have a chance again someday. But they lost the one they had here when you decided to kill innocent people. I am going to correct that. And no, I'm not eager to sacrifice myself, and I don't care about being a hero or not. But if it means our people survive and are one day free, I'll gladly be branded a traitor."

"Our people will never be free while the TSA persists!" screamed Lagan. "Those butchers tried to destroy our world once, you think this will stop them? You're naïve, Commander. None of them are innocent, none of those people who live under the shadow of what happened to our world! All of them are guilty, all of them deserve to suffer like we have!" He collapsed to his knees, rage overwhelming him as he cursed the TSA.

For once, Andrew didn't respond, saddened by just how far this man's bitterness went. Nanoha, however, stepped over, closer to the two Arcadian officers. "Just how far," she wondered softly, "does this terrible hatred go? Isn't this enough? How much longer must so many people, here and on your world, suffer for the hatred you feel? When does it end?"

Goren glanced away from the young woman, voice heavy. "I've seen an image of hell, young lady. Walking the surface of those ruined cities when the TSAB bombed our planet. Don't those people deserve justice? Don't our people deserve to be free?"

"Yes, they do," she agreed. Her voice was still quiet, but nobody had to strain to hear her. "But don't they also deserve to be free from the bitterness, the anger? That's chaining them, too. The more you hate, the more you'll be hated in return. We killed your people, so you kill ours, so we kill more back. Is that what you want? Maybe it will take longer, but…" Nanoha placed her hand over her heart, staring down the two generals with the feelings she had received from Andrew. "But even so, one day your people will be free. As long as Andrew-kun has breath, he'll keep fighting for his people. And as long as he keeps fighting, I will, too. Because the feelings his heart managed to convey to mine, that's what will one day free Arcadia. Not the hate you feel for the TSA, but the love he feels for his world." Nanoha's eyes brimmed with tears now, remembering so clearly that day when Andrew poured his heart out to her. "That's why he swore, that even if it takes 1000 years, he'll see Arcadia free. And that's why I swore that I would always support him on his journey. That's right, even if you've lost your chance now, surely Andrew-kun's honest feelings have moved you closer to the day when the sun shines down on a free Arcadia."

As Nanoha finished, Goren suddenly found that his eyes, too, were wet, and he looked away, ashamed. Andrew Darkstar's true heart… was there anyone else who knew what his feelings were? And somehow, this woman had drawn them out, and they had moved her in this way. Maybe she was right, that something like this would be what saved their world, not force of arms.

"That's how it is, huh, Commander?" he murmured. "I guess, we don't really have a choice but to believe in you now. We surrender." He motioned for the others to give up as well, but was interrupted by the other general.

"The White Devil, huh?" muttered Lagan lowly, standing and staring angrily at Nanoha. "You must really be a devil if you're bewitching the Commander and Goren like that…"

Nanoha returned his gaze, remembering when someone else said something similar to her. "That's fine," she replied, stepping back as Goren and the others slowly filed out of the room. "I'll be a devil, if I have to in order to stand by my friends… Just like Andrew-kun will be a traitor if that's what it'll take to save his world."

As Lagan was led away, Nanoha noticed Andrew slowly running a hand over the central monitor. It had only been a few days since he had last been here, she realized, but everything seemed to have changed since then. The only thing which hadn't changed were his feelings. After a moment, he looked back up at Nanoha. "Alright, let's go."

The strike team had gathered about the Arcadian transport as the other mages herded the various prisoners and established a perimeter. Andrew, being the only one of them who was familiar with Arcadian equipment, gave the transport a look over, declaring it fit to fly. To make sure they weren't shot down by their own ships when they took off, they had to temporarily change their IFF to TSAB.

Finishing the modification, Andrew stepped back out and faced the assembled group. "Well, I guess this is it," he told them. "Let's go."

Nodding, Nanoha followed him in without hesitation. Fate took a deep breath and walked up the ramp, and the rest followed suit, finding seats near the front. Andrew strapped himself into the pilot's seat. Nanoha, who wasn't as familiar with craft like this, gestured for Fate, who had a little experience, to take the copilot chair. Nanoha took the jump seat behind Andrew, while Signum, Tea and Subaru took spots in the troop deck. It felt a little lonely, since the craft was designed to hold 40 people. They'd need the space on the way back if they were going to be taking prisoners.

"Everyone alright back there?" called Andrew. Receiving affirmatives from everyone, he powered up the engines and the craft slowly lifted off the ground, accelerating towards space.

Breaking into the darkness above the planet, Fate spotted several Dimensional Cruisers from the Navigational Forces drifting about, along with a little bit of debris. "It looks like there was a fight here," she commented quietly.

"Yeah," replied Andrew. "In order to get reinforcements in, we probably had to run the blockade."

Fate glanced at him. His expression was tight, and though he tried to keep it out of his voice, she could tell that it bothered him. All the destruction and death that this conflict had caused was weighing heavily upon the man. Turning back to her instruments, she realized Nanoha was probably right; he really did have a good heart, and hated this fighting even as he was in the thick of it.

A light flashed on Andrew's panel. Puzzled, he examined his instruments for a moment before turning to the blond woman beside him. "We're being hailed by one of the TSAB cruisers. It's someone named Admiral Chrono Harlaown, for you, Enforcer Harlaown."

Fate's eyes flickered in surprise. "Nii-san?" She clicked on the communications Andrew indicated, and Chrono's face appeared on holographic in front of her. "I didn't know you were on one of the cruisers, Nii-san."

Chrono nodded. "Yeah, I joined the blockade last week. Sorry we haven't had a chance to talk, but I guess we've both been pretty busy. Hayate told me about what's going on."

Fate nodded. "I see. Well, things seem to be going alright so far. Andrew says he can get us onto Arcadia, and Nanoha trusts him, so I will, too."

"Is that so?" Chrono remarked. "OK. Good luck, Fate. Chrono out."

With that, the signal closed down, and the cabin was quiet again. Andrew glanced at Fate, who was staring at her instruments. "Your brother's an Admiral in the Navigational Forces?" he asked.

Fate, caught off guard by his sudden question, looked over at him before nodding slowly. "Yeah… His mother adopted me after… After my real mother died. That was around the same time I met Nanoha," she added.

Andrew recalled how Nanoha had mentioned how circumstances had been difficult for Fate around the time they met, and they had fought as a result. He guessed it had something to do with her mother's death. "I see…" he said quietly.

Nanoha watched the exchange silently. She knew why there was the wistful note in Andrew's voice, and why he had been interested in Fate's family. Both his parents were dead, and he had mentioned that his house was empty, so it didn't seem like he had any family left at all. Fate had been fortunate enough to have Lindy Harlaown adopt her, and also to have Chrono as her adopted brother, but Andrew didn't have anyone. Lindy had tried to make sure Fate could be a normal girl, at least a little bit, while Andrew had been brought up to be Arcadia's weapon, nothing else. That loneliness…she wondered if that's where Fate would be today if she hadn't found friends and a family who cared for her.

"We're getting ready for entry into Dimensional Space," Andrew remarked, startling Nanoha out of her reverie. "Once we enter, it'll take 8 hours to reach Arcadia, so everyone should try and get some rest if they can. I'll tell you all more when we get closer."

Slowly, Nanoha rose from her seat. "Umm… I think I'm going to sleep for a bit, so… Why don't you two keep watch for a bit?" she said, backing out of the command deck and leaving the blonde haired Enforcer and the raven haired Commander alone.

Andrew blinked as Nanoha exited. "That was a little odd."

"Just a bit," agreed Fate. She glanced at Andrew a moment, then returned her gaze to her panel.

After several minutes, she suddenly spoke up again. "You know, before… I know I acted a little cold towards you. Because of the fact that we fought against you, and you had caused a lot of problems here," she added in quickly. "I just wanted to say, I believe you now, when you say you want to help us and end the suffering that's going on. You've sacrificed a lot, and… Someone like me, who also fought Nanoha before becoming her friend, should have been more forgiving," she concluded.

"Oh, well…" Andrew paused, a little surprised at Fate's sudden loquaciousness. "It's not that it really bothered me. I understood why you felt the way you did. Still… it does make me grateful to hear that, Enforcer Harlaown."

She nodded slowly, and for the first time, smiled at him. "If you want, you can call me Fate."

Andrew slowly returned her smile and looked back at his panel. "Alright, Fate." He paused a moment. "Um… Sorry for asking about your brother so suddenly back then."

Startled, she glanced back at him, then shook her head. "Oh, no, it's alright… I was just surprised, since I think that was the first time you'd ever directly asked me anything."

Andrew looked away, face just a bit sad as he thought about all the people who were no longer there. "It's just… I don't have any family left. So, I thought it was nice, that you had a brother who was looking out for you."

"You… don't have anyone left?" Fate asked slowly. "It must be lonely for you."

Andrew nodded. "Sure. Nanoha thought so, too. She saw through everything, I guess." Andrew glanced back into the passenger compartment. "She's a good person."

"She is," Fate affirmed evenly. "And a good friend, too."

"Yeah," Andrew agreed. "I'm glad we met. I guess I would say she saved my life with her kindness."

Fate thought about her own experiences, how Nanoha had fought so hard to get her feelings across. "Yeah. I think I'd say she saved me, too."

Glancing at each other, they laughed aloud suddenly, all the tension between them passing. Maybe they weren't quite friends yet, but… There wasn't any animosity anymore. Nanoha suddenly poked her head back in. "Geez, you two sure are being noisy up here. I hoped you both would get along better when I left you alone," she admitted openly, "but I wonder now."

Andrew only laughed harder at Nanoha's consternation, which caused her to get more exasperated. "Yeah," he told her between guffaws, "and it's all your fault, you know!"

"It really is," confirmed Fate, laughing right along with him.

Nanoha made a mock pouting expression before smiling at the both of them. "Well, I'm glad to see you're both being friendly. But for now, we'd all like to sleep, and with you two making a racket it's a little tough."

"Heh, sorry about that," apologized Andrew. "I think we'll be alright now, so you go ahead and rest, Nanoha. You too, Fate."

"What about you?" protested Fate. "You can't be the only one not getting rest."

"It's OK. I'll just take first watch, and someone can relieve me in a few hours. So for now, go relax for a bit," he told them.

"Alright, alright," replied Nanoha, dragging Fate away. "See you in a bit, then."

The two women stepped out, leaving Andrew alone in the cockpit. Turning back to the panels, he settled in, trying not to think too hard about the trials that would be coming.

_Author's Note: Of all the speeches made in this fic (and there are a lot, with a whole lot more to come next chapter) I like the one Nanoha gives to Goren and Lagan the best. It's how I wanted every speech she gives explaining her position to sound, but this one is much better than the others. As for the part where they all say their names and titles and what not, I was inspired by the final battle in A's, and so I wanted a scene where they all get to pose and look cool before heading out, but I'm not sure if I liked the way it ended up. The only part of their titles that I made up was the thing about Raising Heart, which is something I came up with while thinking about the meaning of the name Raising Heart. I wanted Fate to have a cool nickname, too, but couldn't come up with anything good, so decided to leave it as is rather than potentially bungle it._

_Andrew's lack of family comes up again in this chapter. His family is dead for exactly one reason: to make him all alone, and give him no one to turn to when he's troubled. In fact, everything about his background was designed to make him more isolated, and feel an even stronger sense of duty to his people—so when his morals are conflicting with his sense of duty, he has no one to turn to… except Nanoha, which was of course the entire point behind them being trapped together, alone._

_The Omnistrike spell is something of a magical MLRS (a type of rocket artillery that fires cluster munitions), firing a lot of smaller projectiles over a wide area, which is pretty good against targets like the emplacements which can't take a lot of damage, though Andrew can tighten up the area a bit, and can fire groups of 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, or 4096 missiles (he fires 8 in a volley, two from each of the inner circles, one from each of the outer ones)._


	16. Chapter 16

_Author's Note: I'm terribly sorry for taking so long with this chapter. Things have been a little hectic around here, plus I had to make some minor changes that I had been putting off for quite some time. I also like the ending chapters less and less the more I think about it. Neurotic behavior, or did I write myself into a corner? Who knows... Anyways, here it is, the penultimate chapter!_

Andrew awoke with a start. He was still sitting in the pilot's seat. Beside him, Nanoha was studying the instrument panel and glanced over.

"Oh, you're awake? Sorry, but when I found you here sleeping, I decided not to wake you up." She grinned. "Weren't you supposed to be keeping watch?"

Andrew rubbed his head, a little embarrassed. "Uh, I guess the past few days just caught up with me. Sorry about that."

She shook her head. "It's OK. We're all pretty tired, and this mission is pretty stressful. How soon until we exit Dimensional Space, by the way?"

Andrew looked over his panel. "Another hour." He glanced back at Nanoha. "I guess it's about time to tell everyone how this is going to work, exactly."

She nodded, and followed him back out of the cockpit. Signum was also awake, while Tea and Subaru were dozing while leaning against each other. Fate was likewise slumped in one of the chairs. When she saw them, the Belkan knight stood, prodding the others, who slowly blinked their eyes and perked back up. Andrew stood facing them in the doorway while Nanoha took a seat to his left.

"We're an hour out from the Arcadia system," he told them. "Once we drop out of Dimensional Space, we'll enter orbit around the planet. The patrols will challenge us, even if we have a proper IFF. However, the correct challenges are transmitted to a ground station, and due to the codes we'll be using all their panel will display is whether or not we give a valid countersign, unless someone with high clearance checks the log for the specifics to see who it was—the system is in place to allow someone to travel incognito if necessary. The countersign can be an audio code, or a data sequence. We'll be using the latter."

"Isn't that a bit lax of security, to allow a non-audio countersign?" asked Tea, puzzled.

Andrew shook his head. "This is no ordinary data sequence. Any of the correct combinations are 256 characters long and are carried by cards using biometrics so they can only be used by a particular user, who must be alive. Also, if the card isn't in the exact proper manner, it will give a bad signal, or can alert ground control that the user is under duress."

Subaru's eyes widened. "There's really such a thing? It seems a little strange to use such a complicated system."

"But it would allow identity confirmation even in areas where communications are being monitored," Signum remarked.

Andrew nodded. "That's right," he confirmed. "There is, of course, a distinct possibility that my personal countersigns have been flagged, but that isn't a problem. I have a special backdoor."

Nanoha glanced at him. "Does this have something to do with the Darkstar family?" she asked.

"That's right," Andrew told her. "The former major noble houses have special access to certain systems which have never been removed, for various reasons that aren't really important at this juncture. Because of that, it means I can get into any system run by a government computer on the planet."

"That seems like a dangerous thing to carry around, even if it's guarded by biometrics," Tea pointed out. "What if you lose the card? Someone could eventually crack it."

"Well, I sure hope I don't lose it," Andrew remarked. "Because it would hurt really bad." He rolled up his left sleeve, revealing an intricate pattern, forming a stylized letter D and two curving lines wrapping around his forearm.

Nanoha stared at him. "You have a tattoo?"

Andrew had the good graces to look a little sheepish. "No, I have an optical data pattern imprinted on my arm. It just looks like I have a tattoo."

Signum scoffed. "You're old fashioned, Nanoha. Plenty of people have tattoos these days."

Nanoha frowned at Signum. "Coming from Signum-san, calling me old fashioned feels a little outrageous." She looked at Andrew. "I was just a little surprised. I didn't even notice it before, even when we were in that cave."

Andrew shrugged. "Well… It's not like it's an ordinary conversation piece. 'By the way, I have an optical data pattern on my arm that looks like a tattoo.' In any case," he continued as the rest of them chuckled, "it'll allow us to get onto Arcadia. From there, there's a secret passage from the spaceport in the capital city that will eventually take us to the Senate building."

"Eventually? How far is this passage?" asked Fate.

"Several kilometers, though it branches out. There're a lot of tunnels and underground chambers under Marcuria—that's the capital city, as a consequence of the TSAB bombing so long ago," he admitted. "Old habits die hard, I guess."

"And once we're inside the Senate building… We arrest the bad guys?" Subaru wondered aloud.

"Well, it probably won't be that easy," Signum commented.

"No, it won't," Andrew confirmed, "since we don't actually know exactly which Senators voted for attacks on civilians, and which didn't."

"So how do we find out?" asked Fate.

"Simple. I'll piss them off," answered Andrew casually. In response to their baffled stares, he continued. "I'll make a speech about how what they're doing is wrong, which I would probably have done anyway, and the ones who protest the loudest will be the guys who voted for it. I can make a few guesses at who some of them will be already, so that'll help."

There was silence in the cabin for a moment. "This plan sounded a lot better on paper," Tea finally said.

Nanoha sighed heavily, then stood. It did sound a little contrived, now that they were actually here. "Even so, it's our best chance to end this, without dragging more people into the fight. And who knows," she added thoughtfully, "maybe your speech will be enough to change some of their minds, and they'll help you, too."

"One can hope," Andrew agreed. "Arcadia won't change unless good men—and there are some in the Senate—take a stand."

"It must already be changing, then," Nanoha observed softly, "since a good man has already taken a stand."

Andrew rubbed his neck. Every time he was hard on himself, she had to go and say something like that. It was tough to be self-effacing around her. "Oh, right… Well, you'd all better strap in. We'll be dropping into Arcadia soon." With that, he headed back into the cockpit, followed by Fate and Nanoha. The rest watched them, the tension in the air rising. The final step was about to begin… and then, hopefully, they could all go home.

Nanoha felt the small bump of pseudo motion as they reentered normal space. On the panels before Andrew and Fate, she could only see Arcadia and the surrounding ships as abstract displays, and found herself wondering what the planet looked like; there were no windows on the Arcadian ship, and Andrew had the holographic viewer shut down.

Several minutes into their flight, the communications array suddenly squawked, and a crackling voice come over the radio. "This is Arcadian Control, to transport A627. Confirm identification, please."

"Here we go," Andrew murmured. He placed his arm over the holographic scanner and pressed a few buttons. Several tense seconds later, the controller came back on.

"We confirm your identity, transport, and confirm clearance to your designated landing site. Welcome home."

Fate glanced at him. "Designated landing site?"

Andrew nodded. "The code I sent them also classed us as officially having Class 1 clearance to make a clandestine drop at an unmonitored military pad. Nothing too unusual for a transport that's listed as being part of the Mid-Childa attack force. This way, no one will see us land, and nobody will meet us there. It'd be bad if we had a fight seconds after landing, no?"

Nanoha chuckled. "Wow, you really did think of everything. I didn't think you'd have this many bases covered."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," he replied dryly. "We're starting our descent now."

Another fifteen minutes passed in silence, until there was a slight thump outside as the transport touched down. Immediately the strike team members leapt to their feet, stretching their stiff muscles as Andrew shut down their systems. He, Nanoha, and Fate stepped into the back, looking over the other members.

"OK, here we are, lovely Arcadia. Be glad we're not going topside; there's a hurricane hitting Marcuria right now," he informed them.

They stared at him blankly for a moment. "A… hurricane?" repeated Fate in amazement. They had landed in the middle of a huge storm?

Andrew nodded nonchalantly. "Yep, happens frequently around here. Tropical planets like Arcadia tend to experience a higher frequency of storms. It's not really a problem; everyone just shuts in tight and they raise the seawall several feet to protect against a storm surge."

Nanoha shook her head incredulously. This really was another world after all. "OK, so what's our next step?"

Andrew opened a couple of the footlockers, and pulled out some spare clothes. "We've got some Arcadian uniforms here, just in case we run into anybody. After that, we'll head out. Someone will need to stay and guard the ship, just in case," he added.

Tea raised her hand. "I'll do it. My shooting skills probably won't be as much use in tight corridors."

Andrew nodded and made for the exit, seeing as he already had an Arcadian outfit on. "I'll wait for the rest of you outside."

Fortunately, there were plenty of uniforms, so all of them were able to find ones that fit comfortably, though only Nanoha ended up in an officer's set. Heading down the ramp, they spotted Andrew at the far wall next to the door. Overhead, large doors had closed overtop, though with the weather outside, that was a good thing.

"OK. It's a few hundred meters from here to the tunnel entrance. Follow me, and be ready for anything, just in case. Well, let's go." Andrew keyed the door, and they followed him through.

It took several twists and turns before they reached a huge set of clamshell doors. Nanoha had thought the entrance would be a little more innocuous before recalling they were in a secure military landing area. Anyone would have to get through several layers of security to get to this section, she guessed.

Andrew stepped up to the security panel, tapping in a quick series of keys. Once he was finished, he breathed a sigh of relief. "OK, good. Due to the emergency situation, the Senate has been in session for a few days now, which means the full membership will definitely be there when we arrive. Give me a moment, and I'll key the door."

Andrew pulled back his left sleeve once again, and this time Nanoha spotted a second pattern on the underside of his arm that looked vaguely like a bizarre representation of the letter G. She wondered briefly why he had two such symbols… Was one for his mother's family? The door swung open at that moment, interrupting her thoughts. Well, it wasn't important now, anyways. She could ask later.

As they made their way down the long corridors, Fate was likewise glancing at Andrew. "I was wondering," she asked suddenly, "why store information like that? It seems a little inefficient."

"Actually," Andrew replied, "because of the complicated nature of the image, you can store data in depth, information within information. The storage capacity is about the same as a typical holographic drive for a home computer."

Fate was startled by that statement. "Why don't more people have something like that, then?"

"It's really expensive to produce," Andrew told her. "And even more expensive to modify. There's probably less than 1000 people on Arcadia who have one. I think a member of the Antara family was the first person to have one, something like 300 years ago. Since then, it's snowballed to where all the noble houses had them. Just tradition, really, but it's still useful…Except of course if you're captured, but at that time it was unthinkable to resort to kidnapping and nowadays… Well, sometimes tradition outweighs common sense," he remarked, shrugging helplessly. "It is true that you need the correct keywords to find the information you're looking for, otherwise you just get a huge jumble of information with no context, but even so…"

Nanoha looked at him pointedly. "I thought you told me the noble houses were more like industrialists at this point."

Andrew shrugged. "Just because we don't technically have any official political power anymore—some old laws are still on the books, I suppose, and some things, people just haven't bothered to clean up, like the special access—it doesn't mean we don't have a lot of influence. Lots of people from the old noble families still serve in the Senate and military, too, like me."

After that exchange, there was more silence for quite a while. They ran into only one other group of people, who were apparently Senate staffers heading to their boss's house to get something he forgot. In either case, they didn't recognize Andrew, and passed by without comment. The encounter, though, did put the group on edge. Walking through these empty, seemingly endless corridors, it had been easy to forget they were in enemy territory, all alone on an entire world.

"Don't worry, we're almost there," Andrew told them. "There won't be any security around this door, but there will be guards at the entrance to the Senate chambers. We'll probably have to subdue them."

The rest of them nodded, readying their devices. Hopefully things wouldn't become violent, but… They weren't going to be taking chances. There were only the six of them here, and they had to get back off-world with a bunch of people in tow.

Finally, they reached the second set of clamshell doors. Despite Andrew's assurances there wouldn't be any guards, they readied themselves as he keyed it open. Their tension levels dropped just a bit when they saw there really was no one on the other side. They stepped through and headed to the door on the other end of the hall.

"This door leads into the Senate building. There will definitely be people there, so be careful," he told them.

Andrew took a deep breath and stepped into the adjoining hallway. There didn't seem to be anyone in the immediate vicinity, and he sighed with relief and led them on. Halfway down the next hallway, however, as they passed by a few offices, a door swung open. Nanoha couldn't see Andrew's expression, but he suddenly dashed forward, pushing the elderly woman who stepped out back into the office. Puzzled, but unsure of what else to do, the group followed him.

"Alright, nobody panic. Miss," he continued at the young woman at the desk inside, "please do not make any sudden movements or we will have to place a bind on you." He turned back to the older woman, who was staring at him in shock.

"Andrew… what are you doing here? Lagan and Goren… they said you had been captured! We were all so worried!" she exclaimed.

Andrew sighed. "I'm not surprised that's what they told you, Aunt Morgan."

Nanoha frowned and glanced at Andrew. "Hey, Andrew-kun, I thought you said you didn't have any family left."

Morgan glanced at Nanoha's unfamiliar face, frowning. "Well, I'm not surprised Andrew doesn't really refer to me as family to others. We're only first cousins, twice removed." Seeing their blank looks, she added, "My grandfather was his great-great-grandfather."

"You know that off the top of your head?" asked Nanoha, surprised.

"I'll explain later," muttered Andrew.

Morgan fixed Andrew with a look. "So, what's happened, Andrew? We hardly get any news of what's going on with the attack on Mid-Childa, only whatever old Harrelson and the Defense Committee tells us, along with some reports from Lagan and Goren. And now you're here, making an incredible fuss!"

Andrew sighed heavily. "Things have gotten complicated, Aunt Morgan. The attack force has been all but defeated, Goren and Lagan have been taken prisoner, and Mid-Childa is right now preparing to launch a punitive attack on Arcadia."

Morgan's eyes widened in shock. "Defeated? Lagan and Goren both captured? And a punitive attack on top of that? What in the world happened over there?"

"I don't have much time," Andrew stressed. "I'm here to place members of the Senate under arrest, to turn them over to the TSAB, in order to avert any retaliatory strike."

The elderly woman stared at him, baffled at this incredible turn of events. "I'm sorry, dear… What? Arrest the Senate? Why… you can't be serious! You're Andrew Darkstar! Don't you care what happens to your name? Do you know what will happen if you try and turn members of the Senate over to the TSAB?"

"I know, Aunt Morgan," he told her evenly, voice hard. "But there's no other choice. After the Senate authorized attacks on civilians, this is the only way to stop a disaster."

Morgan gaped at him silently for a long moment. "Attacks… on civilians?"

Andrew frowned. "You can't tell me you didn't know. Kian and David are both members of the Senate, aren't they? And you used to be, so…"

Morgan nodded slowly. "Yes, but…" She suddenly scowled. "That old bat Harrelson… He must have gotten the Defense Committee to vote on it, without the rest of the Senate's knowledge! I can't believe…. You believe me, don't you Andrew? The full Senate… They'd never approve something like that!"

Andrew glanced at the others, who looked surprised. Nanoha pursed her lips. "If that's true, Andrew-kun, that may be the leverage we need. If we expose this Harrelson, then the rest of the Senate can support our arrest."

Andrew rubbed his shoulder, nodding thoughtfully. "That just may work." He turned back to Morgan. "I need to get into the Senate chambers, Aunt Morgan."

She nodded gravely. "Follow me, boy. I hope you can put an end to this mess… A punitive strike," she muttered darkly, "as if we haven't had enough bombing for one lifetime…"

In response to Nanoha's questioning glance at him, Andrew whispered to her, "Morgan was born only a few months after the bombing. Her father, Theron Price, was killed in the war." Nanoha nodded slowly. So that was the price of the TSA's mistakes.

As they headed to the Senate chamber, Morgan glanced at the others with Andrew. "Am I correct in assuming these others are TSAB officers?" she queried softly.

Nanoha nodded at her. "That's right, ma'am. I'm Captain Nanoha Takamachi, and this is Enforcer Fate Harlaown, Lieutenant Signum, and Corporal Subaru Nakajima."

Morgan stared at her openly. "That woman they call the White Devil? You?"

Nanoha flushed with embarrassment at the old nickname she could never quite live down. "Er, yes ma'am."

The old woman shook her head, muttering to herself as they continued down the hallways. Finally, they turned a corner and approached a large set of double doors, flanked by two armed men.

"Lady Anatara," they greeted her. "And… Isn't that Commander Darkstar? Weren't you taken prisoner on Mid-Childa?" they asked incredulously.

"Uh… I escaped," he explained awkwardly. Well, it was sort of the truth anyways. "We're here to address the Senate," he told them.

They shrugged. "Alright, well… That's fine. You are Commander Darkstar, after all."

Nanoha gave him an amused look, which he ignored, and taking a deep breath, the group stepped into the room after Morgan Antara.

The chamber was enormous, looking almost like a sporting arena, with several rows of seat proceeding up the walls, and a large floor below. At the opposite end from their entrance, there was a large podium where she supposed the Senate leader—Prime Minister?—must sit. Above them, an enormous vaulted ceiling which had a huge dome at the top, which must have been almost ten stories up.

Nanoha and the others tried not to gape at the majestic room, remembering they were there for a serious purpose. As they waited for the man currently addressing the Senate to complete his statement, Andrew leaned over to Morgan.

"Aunt Morgan, I have to warn you, what I'm about to say to the Senate will be wildly unpopular, and may end up with me being declared a traitor. I know, it'll mean the end of the Darkstar family," he said quickly, forestalling any protest from her, "but if that means our people survive to eventually become free, it's the price I'll pay. That's the path I've chosen, to preserve our world."

Morgan watched him for a moment, then sighed. "Really, boy… Talking like that, you remind me of the stories Mother told me about her brother…" She reached over and gripped his arm, eyes soft. "Please… try not to die the way Shrike did…"

Nanoha's eyes flickered. The man she had heard so much about, who had inspired Andrew, and died defending his world from the TSAB… That was her uncle. Yet, despite all the suffering, her father gone, uncle gone, world devastated, this woman managed to keep her head high. So this was the face of Arcadia, the world Andrew wanted so dearly to defend. She clenched her fists. Definitely… She'd definitely help him achieve his dream.

Finally, after what seemed an interminable period, the speaker stepped down, and Morgan Antara stepped forward. "Point of order, Mr. Chairman!" she called loudly. All eyes turned to her. "There is a request from Commander Andrew Darkstar of the Arcadian Combined Forces and heir of the Darkstar line, recently returned from Mid-Childa, to address the Arcadian Senate."

A ripple of muted whispers quickly passed through the assembled Senate and viewing balconies. The chairman slowly stood from his place at the head of the room and stared at Andrew. "The Senate gladly welcomes the heir of Darkstar to the floor, Lady Antara. I am sure we are all interested in what he has to say."

"Just one moment!" roared one Senator, standing abruptly. "We all know that Commander Darkstar was captured by enemy forces on Mid-Childa. So how is he here now?"

"Are you sure you didn't hear something else, Senator Harrelson?" demanded Andrew lowly as he stepped forward onto the floor. The older man glared at Andrew from his place in the gallery. Andrew ignored him and faced the chairman.

"Mr. Chairman, honored members of the Senate, I come before you today with a plea to save our world, not from the forces of the Time Space Administration Bureau, but those who would send Arcadia on a path to its own destruction. Members of this very Senate have committed egregious acts, concealed the truth, and placed us in the most dire straits any of us can imagine. In pursuit of our independence from the Time Space Administration, terrible acts have been ordered, acts which I personally bore witness to, acts which originated here in this very Senate!" he announced forcefully. A murmur ran through the crowd before Harrelson stood again.

"Matters pertaining to direct military actions are the purview of the Defense Committee, not for the full Senate," he protested hotly.

"Matters pertaining to the future of Arcadia are the purview of every Arcadian!" Andrew countered. "Here, within these walls, are the men and women who represent Arcadia; should not all of them hear what has been done in all of our names?"

The chairman stood, looking pointedly at Harrelson. "Senator Harrelson, there will be no more outbursts from the floor. If Commander Darkstar speaks on a matter that concerns all Arcadia, then let him be heard."

Andrew inclined his head at the chairman as Harrelson sat down in a huff. "Mr. Chairman, honored members of the Senate, I am sure all of you were informed of my capture by the Time Space Administration Bureau last week. However, what you were not informed of, as Lady Morgan Antara has informed me, are the circumstances of my capture. I ask you now to please bear with me, as the full scope of what has occurred must be laid bare for my actions to be fully understood." He took a deep breath, and prepared to impale himself with his next statement. "With pressures of opposing forces mounting, I took it upon myself to disrupt the enemy command apparatus by engaging one of their forward command centers. Upon reaching this target, I was engaged by Captain Nanoha Takamachi of the Administration Bureau Aerial Forces."

Nanoha could hear the whispers of "The White Devil!" carry through the room and suppressed another sigh. Still, things seemed to be going well, but Andrew hadn't yet revealed what he had done in response. Everything would hinge on his convincing them of the necessity of his actions.

"However, in the midst of our battle, Arcadian attack craft, under the order of General Lomik Lagan and General Castin Goren, assaulted the base, and also _the surrounding city_ with mass-scatter warheads! Due to the attack, myself and Captain Takamachi were both nearly killed, and were forced to work together in order to survive. Upon our escape from a cave in caused by the bombings, we discovered that the bombing of the base and city had continued unabated for hours. At that time, Generals Lagan and Goren arrived to place Captain Takamachi under arrest and to order me to continue a strategy of _total war_ against Mid-Childa, which they claimed had been authorized _by the Senate_!" He paused, letting his words soak in. "It was at this point, that I informed both generals that I viewed any orders which insisted upon direct and deliberate attacks on civilians targets to be illegal under the articles of interstellar war. Men and women of the Senate, the blood of innocents now rests upon Arcadian hands! Our hands! In response to my declaration, General Lagan ordered me to be placed under arrest."

A hush fell over the Senate as they contemplated this turn of events. However, despite the earlier admonishments, Harrelson would not be quieted. "You deserved no less!" he hissed. "I know what you've done, Darkstar! You are a traitor to your people! You have conspired with that Takamachi devil against your own world, attacked your own soldiers, and given vital information to the enemy!"

The Senate chamber erupted. Andrew simply stared down Harrelson while the chairman shouted for order. Finally, after several minutes, he managed to quiet the unruly Senators. Turning to Andrew, face grave, he asked. "Commander. Are these charges true? Have you acted against Arcadia?"

Andrew clenched his jaw tightly. "I… have committed grave offenses," he admitted. The chairman lifted a hand to stem any chorus from the galleries.

"Commander… If you have any sort of explanation for your actions, would you please speak them now," the chairman ordered soberly.

Andrew didn't speak for a second, but instead glanced back at Nanoha, his dark hazel eyes meeting hers. He was afraid, she realized. What he said next could either doom or save his world, and himself. "I'm right here," she mouthed at him. "You can do it."

Andrew took a deep breath, nodding slowly and facing the chairman again. "Mr. Chairman, honored members of the Senate… The actions of a few men and women here are unconscionable. Virtually all of our soldiers have been dispatched to Mid-Childa. Nearly all of our defenses, designed to protect Arcadia have also been moved off-world. Repeated attacks against civilian targets continued for days, with the death toll rising into the tens of thousands. In response to our attacks, the Time Space Administration Council has begun preparing for a punitive strike against Arcadia, which, due to the stripping of our defenses, we have no hope of resisting. Our actions have created a culture of hatred within the Mid-Childan populace and the Time Space Administration Council. A few people, here and amongst our forces on Mid-Childa, have allowed their desire for revenge to cloud their judgment. Arcadia cannot be free if Arcadia dies. Gambling all of our forces and all of our defenses on Mid-Childa is gambling with the lives of every single Arcadian. My desire, my only desire is to see Arcadia free. I will not soil our people's hands with the blood of innocents to do it. I will not stoop to the level of the criminals who bombed our world to free our people. I will not commit crimes against humanity to accomplish this. I will suffer any indignity, I will tarnish my name, my honor, and will sacrifice my very life if it will make Arcadia free, I will die joyful if it means Arcadia will one day be free. If it takes 1000 years, I'll see Arcadia free. As long as our people survive, they will try again. As long as Arcadia lives, we will someday be free. But the actions of this Senate, and of the Arcadian Combined Forces have set us on a suicidal course. That is why I requested the assistance of Captain Takamachi and others. And in return for their pledge to help me save Arcadia, I pledged to help them end the fighting on Mid-Childa to prevent any more unnecessary deaths." Andrew finally paused, catching his breath as his words spilled out like a dam opening its floodgates.

The Senate stirred, dozens of quiet discussions taking place about them. One man finally stood and addressed Andrew. "Commander Darkstar, you have admitted to terrible crimes against your people, and yet you claim you have acted for the good of Arcadia. No one here will question the honor of the Darkstar family, however… Your claims are so incredible. You have acted in concert with our enemies, and claim Harrelson and the Defense Council made this decision without our knowledge, and that in response we are all endangered. Even if it is you, I have difficulty believing one man's word in this."

Nanoha stepped forward abruptly. "Um… Excuse me, if I might speak a moment?"

The chairman turned to her, frowning. "And who are you?"

Nanoha gulped, hoping she wasn't about to destroy Andrew's credibility. "Um, I'm Captain Nanoha Takamachi of the Time Space Administration Bureau."

Low whispers circulated about the galleries, a hushed ripple saying, "It's her! The White Devil! Here!" Nanoha resisted the urge to sigh as her reputation once again preceded her.

Harrelson leapt to his feet, pointing an indignant finger at the auburn haired woman. "Of all the insults… You bring an enemy soldier here, Commander? I demand that this woman be arrested at once!"

"I am a soldier," Nanoha stated evenly, "but I am not an enemy of Arcadia. I may be a member of the TSAB, but I have sworn to aid Andrew… Commander Darkstar. He has told me of the suffering of your people at the hands of the TSAB so long ago, which committed actions I cannot condone. However, nor can I justify your attack on the populace of Mid-Childa, other people who are just trying to live their lives." She paused, stepped closer to Andrew now, remembering all the feelings that had lain in his heart. "Um, I'm not as good of a speaker as Commander Darkstar, but I will try and tell you what I know. When we sought to stop the Arcadian bombers, they instead launched a last ditch attack, trying to destroy as much as they could, striking several bases and cities, including Cranagan itself. The casualties were horrendous, and would have been far worse if not for Commander Darkstar's actions. In gratitude, our own commanders granted him free reign in the hopes that he could find a way to end the war before any more people were hurt. When the bombings began, I guess it was hoped that they would drive the Council to the edge and make them surrender, but all it did was anger the populace and make people demand revenge against you and your people. I saw in General Lagan, and in some of you now, the bitterness and rage you feel at what your people have endured, but your desire for revenge will not save your world. All it can do is perpetuate a cycle of hatred which will engulf your world along with Mid-Childa, and more and more people will suffer because of it. To stop this possibility, to ensure a future for everyone, this is why I vowed to stand by Commander Darkstar, why we vowed together that no matter how the war ended, that we would work together to see Arcadia free. I can tell you now, absolutely, that attacks on civilians were carried out, against the express wishes of Commander Darkstar and that he acted, at all times, in good conscience of the Arcadian people. He is trying so hard to save all of you, and that is why all of us have come here to Arcadia, to stand by him, and try to help him protect his world from destruction." Nanoha finally stopped speaking, her words all tumbling out in a jumble, hoping that she had helped Andrew's cause rather than damaging it.

Andrew nodded his thanks at Nanoha, who retreated a little ways. Looking about the room, he held his breath. Whoever spoke next could very well decide the fate of this world.

Finally, one old, wizened man spoke. "When two people, one a friend of Arcadia, and another, an enemy, come to you, saying the same things… I wonder what that says?" He turned to Harrelson. "Senator Harrelson, I wish to know, are the allegations that Commander Darkstar and Captain Takamachi leveled against you true? Did you in your capacity as Chair of the Defense Committee give General Goren and General Lagan approval to directly attack civilian targets?"

All eyes suddenly turned to Harrelson, who clenched his jaw defiantly. "Everything I have done, Senator Antara, I have done for Arcadia," he declared coldly. "Even with our early victories, we needed to push them a little further. I was not going to throw away a weapon in our arsenal for a naïve boy's ideals!" He glared at Andrew. "Time and again, Commander Darkstar, according to General Lagan's reports, refused to enact a strategy of total war, refused to destroy high value targets for fear of collateral damage. So when they informed me he had left to fight the enemy, and they did not expect him to return, I gave them what they asked for! The measures needed to destroy our enemies! If this boy lacked the will to do what had to be done, I say good riddance to him!"

"You openly admit to authorizing strikes against civilians?" another Senator demanded. "Without consulting the full Senate?"

"Matters pertaining to the attack on Mid-Childa are my purview!" Harrelson roared.

"You mean you knew it would never pass the full Senate!" countered another Senator. "My god man… And ordering our defenses off Arcadia… Did you do that too? We'd be helpless against reprisals!"

A storm of accusations now flew across the Senate floor, some speaking in defense of Harrelson's actions, but most condemning him. Nanoha could see it in their eyes, the realization of what Harrelson's tactics would mean for the rest of the planet. There was fear now. Some of these people were old enough to remember the bombing and its immediate aftermath, like Morgan Antara was. They would not want their people to suffer through one again.

Once more, the chairman had to call the Senate to order. It took quite a bit longer this time before all the shouts had died down. The air was still filled with lingering animosity, and the tension was almost palpable.

The chairman turned to Andrew Darkstar. "Commander, the testimony you… and Captain Takamachi have provided here today has proven of great value to the Senate and the Arcadian people. It is clear that grave crimes, exposing all of us here to reprisal, have been committed by Senator Harrelson and the Defense Committee." Harrelson looked like he wanted to say something else, but held his peace, stewing in barely contained fury. "The question now becomes, what do we do in response? I can only assume your presence here, along with officers of the Time Space Administration Bureau means that our time is short."

Andrew stepped forward to respond. "Mr. Chairman, honored members of the Senate, thanks to the actions of Colonel Hayate Yagami of the Time Space Administration Bureau and a few other senior officers, we have perhaps a few days. The Time Space Administration Bureau General Staff was willing to accept my proposed solution, and hopefully the Council will as well, but should it fail, I can only guess at how long it will be before a fleet is assembled to attack."

"And your solution is, Commander?" asked one Senator.

Andrew took a deep breath. "Mr. Chairman, honored members of the Senate, I am here to place those responsible for these orders to deliberately and directly target civilians under arrest and to turn those parties over to the Time Space Administration Bureau for trial."

Another flurry of discussion passed through the chambers, but died down quickly. "Commander," remarked one Senator, "I'm not sure you have the authority to do that. Members of the Senate are impeachable only by their peers. For that matter, the TSAB has no authority in this matter."

Andrew set his jaw. Even now, faced with annihilation, they'd quote Senate rules to him? "Technically speaking, Senator… Arcadia is an Administrated World. Because of that, wide-area dimensional criminals and war criminals from this world may be tried in the correct jurisdictions within the Time Space Administration."

There was another howl of protest from Harrelson. "You want us to acknowledge their authority? You…"

"Senator Harrelson, you have done enough damage. Now content yourself with remaining silent!" ordered the chairman. He turned back to Andrew. "Commander, you must understand… This world desires independence. How can we submit to TSAB judgment?"

"At this juncture, Mr. Chairman, we can either surrender these criminals to the TSAB, or wait for them to attack us. We may die a free people otherwise… but we will of course no longer be alive to enjoy that freedom," Andrew remarked. "There is a time for symbolism and a time for pragmatism. This is a time for pragmatism. The survival of our world depends on it. I do not put this proposal forth lightly, honored members of the Senate… but I see no better choice. We remain alive, and able to seek freedom again. We have waited 90 years. We can wait a few more. As long as we hold true to ourselves, the Arcadian identity will never fade. No matter how long it takes, I believe our people will be free, and will work for that day until I die. I can choose, as a soldier of Arcadia, to die for our people. Our entire people cannot choose to die as one, not while we still have a chance."

As Andrew's voice died down, there was a solemn silence throughout the Senate chamber. Finally, the elder Senator Antara began to speak. "Every day, our people die a little bit. Each day, as we look out at our ruined cities, and reflect on our inability to alter our own destiny, we are reminded of the suffering the TSAB has inflicted upon us. But… Just as our fathers and grandfathers recognized that dying in a useless gesture of defiance was pointless, I think we all must agree that sentencing our world to further destruction is an act of madness. If this is what must be done in order to safeguard the future of Arcadia, then it is our solemn duty to see it through, no matter how we might feel it stains our honor. We may look upon ourselves in disgust, we may even be reviled by our own people… but at least we will be alive to feel so, and they shall be alive to look upon us so." He turned to the chairman with an old man's dignity. "Mr. Chairman, I believe that it is still a matter of record that the Garringhold family shall have extraordinary powers to pursue enemies of Arcadia, be they without or within."

The chairman paused a moment, then nodded. "Yes, Senator Antara, it is so, though the Senate must hear evidence given and vote accordingly, and such powers have not been exercised in nearly 200 years."

Senator Antara nodded. "Very well, then. I submit that Andrew Darkstar, as heir of the house of Garringhold, Defenders of Arcadia, has submitted evidence of gross misconduct by the members of the Senate Defense Committee and of Generals Lomik Lagan and Castin Goren, and ask for a vote declaring these men criminals to be turned over to the authority of the house of Garringhold."

"Now wait just a minute!" Harrelson broke in. "Andrew Darkstar is the heir of Darkstar, is he not? And I'm sure we all recall that the Garringhold family died out 150 years ago—one of the reasons the law was allowed to remain, in honor of their loss! How can you say he is the heir of Garringhold?"

"As you well know, Senators, the house of Garringhold folded into the house of Darkstar after the tragic accident that killed all but one of them. Still, your point holds," admitted Senator Antara. "Commander Darkstar, can you present evidence that you are the undeniable heir of Garringhold?"

Andrew remained silent for a moment, then slowly rolled back his left sleeve. _I never thought that a tribute to an extinct line would carry so much weight,_ he thought. On the underside of his arm was a stylized G within a triangle background, amidst the wavy lines of his Darkstar family crest. A course of murmurs rippled through the Senate, and the chairman nodded slowly.

"It is indeed the seal of Garringhold, awarded to the recognized heir. I accept your evidence, Commander Darkstar." Addressing the entire room now, he announced, "There is a measure on the floor concerning the crimes of the Senate Defense Committee and others. We have heard evidence submitted here before this Senate this day. Senators, what say you? Yea, guilty, nay, not guilty."

Slowly, the ballots were cast. Only a few at first, but like a rising storm, it built to a crescendo as the guilty votes were clearly carrying the floor. In the end, less than 12 people voted not guilty. Harrelson was apoplectic.

"You fools have doomed us all! We shall be under the yoke of the TSAB for eternity under you sheep!" he raged.

"You are out of order, sir," Andrew told him, voice hard. "And you are under arrest. Under the authority granted me by the Arcadian Senate, I demand that the guilty parties submit themselves immediately."

Nanoha watched as the 7 men and women, some faces raging, others submitting to the inevitable, others terrified, slowly came down from the gallery, standing before Andrew. If looks could kill, she reflected, Harrelson's gaze could be classified as a weapon of mass destruction.

"Under my judgment as executor of the Senate's will," Andrew announced, "I am hereby turning these criminals over to the proper TSAB authorities for trial. Enforcer Fate Harlaown?"

Startled, Fate stepped forward hesitantly. "Um, yes?"

"As a recognized organ of TSAB law, will you accept these prisoners into your custody?" Andrew asked her.

She nodded briskly, not used to all the official and formal language that was being thrown about. "Oh, yes, of course."

Nanoha sighed with relief as Fate placed the former Senators in binds and lined them up near the door. It finally seemed to be over. Now all they had to do was go back to Mid-Childa and settle things with the Council.

"There's one thing," Andrew announced. Nanoha frowned, staring at him. What else was there? Maybe he wanted a formal declaration of surrender? "Although I believe I acted in good faith to defend Arcadia, it is still true that I cooperated with our enemies during a time of war."

Nanoha immediately saw what he was going to do and rushed over. "No, Andrew-kun, you don't have to do this. You don't have to keep sacrificing yourself like this," she pleaded.

"Yes I do," he told her, not flinching. "It's what I have to face. I got the job done, but I broke every rule in existence to do it. I have to face the consequences of my actions." He turned back to the Senate, eyes hard. "I ask therefore, that the Senate, in its capacity as overseers of the Arcadian Combined Forces, to place me under arrest for crimes against Arcadia and sit in judgment of my actions."

The chairman stared at him. "Commander… You are quite certain you wish to take this course?"

Andrew nodded. "I knew that it would come to this, Mr. Chairman, and I am willing to accept any punishment you order upon me."

The chairman sighed, and nodded. "Very well, if that is your wish. I hereby place you under arrest, and ask that the Senate now vote on the guilt of Commander Andrew Darkstar of the Arcadian Combined Forces in this matter."

Nanoha stepped forward desperately. "Please, Mr. Chairman, I wish to make testimony on this man's behalf!"

Senator Antara waved her off. "I don't believe that's necessary, miss. You've said all you need to already." Nanoha stared incredulously at them. Could this really be happening? Fate, Subaru and Signum likewise looked on, their faces a mixture of anxiety, confusion, and stoic acceptance. "However," he continued, "I do believe a short discussion is warranted… And if you don't mind, Commander, I'd prefer if you weren't present for this."

Andrew frowned slightly, but nodded. "I understand, Senator. I shall wait in the antechamber for your decision, then."

With that, he and the others slowly made their way back outside. Nanoha felt her gut wrenching about as the doors were closed, and she had no doubt that Andrew was feeling the same way, despite the apparent calm on his face. She stared at him as the meeting within the chambers continued for what seemed an eternity. She couldn't understand why he felt the need to do this. After everything, was it truly going to end this way?

After several of the longest minutes of her life, the doors were opened again, and the party was ushered back inside. There was no trace of the discussion that had took place, and things seemed calm. The chairman cleared his throat and addressed the assembly.

"Now then, Senators, what say you? Yea, guilty, nay, not guilty."

Immediately, an unequivocal torrent of not guilty votes lit the screen indicating the vote count. As Andrew stared in disbelief, not a single person voted against him. In less than thirty seconds, it was over.

"Well, Commander, it seems you've been cleared of all charges. You are hereby released," the chairman informed him with ill concealed humor. "As it seems our war with the TSAB is coming to an end, I think that we require an ambassador to handle surrender negations. I appoint Commander Andrew Darkstar, if there are no objections." There were none, to either the notion of surrender, or to Andrew representing them. "Very well, then. It seems you have further business on Mid-Childa, Commander. Good day to you, and the Senate thanks you for your services rendered here. Now then, I think we shall take a recess for the day. This session of the Arcadian Senate is dismissed!"

The chairman gaveled the Senate out of session, but many flooded down to the floor, congratulating Andrew and thanking him for what he had done. For his part, Andrew stood still, shocked at this outcome. He had thought for sure he would be punished for what he had done.

"Andrew-kun?" Nanoha tugged at his sleeve. "Are you alright?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm…" He shook his head. "I can't believe it. I mean… The things I did… How can they possibly…?"

Nanoha smiled knowingly at him. "You know, you're the only one who can't."

"That's certainly true." Senator Antara had made his way to Andrew, now flanked by Morgan. "This boy always did have a sacrificial, self deprecating streak. Apparently it's a Darkstar thing; Shrike and Alexis had it, too. Boy," he told Andrew directly, "you may have done some terrible things, and I know you'll never forgive yourself, but… You did what had to be done. Maybe you didn't do the best thing, but you did the necessary thing… And our people need you to be their hero, one more time. The people have to have someone to believe in, to rally around… That's what we talked about, what drove this vote, why even the old curmudgeons still around voted on your side." He held up a hand to forestall a protest from Andrew. "I know, it's not what you want; God knows you've shouldered so much for us already and you never did like political maneuverings like this. And even without that consideration… I know that next time, you'll do better. We human beings will always be sinful; all we can do is try and work hard, repent what we've done, and strive to do better."

Andrew nodded shortly, facing the old man as resolutely as he could. "I will, Senator Antara… I swear I will."

The old man nodded gravely, and turned to Nanoha, giving her a small, gracious bow. "Captain Takamachi, allow me to introduce myself formally. I am Senator Kian Antara, and you've already met my wife Morgan."

"Oh, pleased to meet you, sir," Nanoha replied. "Um, thank you for everything you said today."

He shook his head. "No, thank you, young lady, for standing by this young man. Andrew has never been one to share his feelings with others. It's good to see he was able to open up to you."

Nanoha blushed a bit. "Oh, it's just… I've always thought that if people could understand each other, then they wouldn't have to fight, so… Anyways, I was happy, too, that Andrew-kun shared his feelings with me. Once he did, I knew he had an honest heart, and that he was a good person trying hard to do the right thing, and I knew I had to help him. That's all, really."

Kian Antara guffawed, surprising Nanoha. "That's all, she says… Young lady," he told her seriously, "I doubt there are a hundred people in all Dimensional Space with that level of compassion. So, thank you again. You've helped preserve our world." He turned to Andrew, grinning cagily. "Don't you ever let this young lady go, you hear me, boy?"

Andrew sputtered, while Nanoha blushed heavily. "Ah… Sir, I don't…" Andrew managed, but Kian Antara only laughed uproariously at their discomfiture and bade them farewell.

As they left, Nanoha turned back to Andrew, who seemed to have recovered a bit. "Well… Should we be going?" she asked.

Andrew glanced at her for a moment, then gazed up at the high dome above them, looking about in a slow circle, before returning his gaze to Nanoha and nodding. "Yeah, let's go."

_Author's Note: Hoo, boy, if you thought they were talking a lot before… I know, there's a TON of talking in this chapter, but, they are on the Senate floor, what did you expect? I have a confession to make about Nanoha's speech. I had it mostly written, and then, the power went out and I lost the whole thing. Needless to say, I was mad. How it appears here is pretty much how it was the first time, but… I'll always wonder if that first go around was better. Looking back, sometimes I wonder if the whole Senate scene didn't get a little too contrived… The drama is nice, but if you really stop and think too hard about it, it's a little weird…I think sometimes I should've had Andrew convicted; he did kill some of his own men, after all, and in a more cynical plot, I probably would have. But in the end, I decided to have them clear him since, like I said, it's not really an out and out cynical plotline, though I'm sure his actions will come back to haunt him later. Beyond that, like Senator Antara said, they need him to be a hero, a symbol for them, no matter how things turn out. So, they'll probably whitewash the things he had to do; the Arcadians certainly aren't above that tack either. We do seem to be getting close to the end (we are). Now the only question is… What in the heck is going to happen to Arcadia and Andrew?_

_On the subject of him using the optical pattern to open locks, and the authority of the old noble houses… it's a little complicated. Back when the Arcadian Senate was first formed, several families were given special titles and powers in order to protect Arcadia in its infant stages—this included their access to security systems throughout the planet. Over time, their roles became more and more ceremonial, but some of the old laws remain on the books even if they're archaic (that sort of thing happens a lot in real life, too). The Garringhold line, which was nearly wiped out in an accident (or an assassination, it's not clear which), married into Andrew's family and as a tribute to them, they maintain their seals as well. The seals don't just have security access; they store a lot of valuable family information, account numbers, passwords, genealogical data, and what you might term blackmail material, among other things. It's like having a little black book, except it's on your arm. Like Andrew said, because there's so much information, and it's all static, you need keywords to find anything, otherwise it's just a jumble that'll take a while to search through—still makes it a little silly, like he said, but tradition trumps common sense in real life sometimes, too. I had considered the patterns requiring magic to become visible and therefore usable, but then I realized the people who'd have them wouldn't necessarily be mages, so that got scuttled. The plot point about Andrew being from one of the old noble lines exists for precisely two reasons: one is this, the other is to elevate his sense of duty._

_The name of the capital, Marcuria, some might recognize from the adventure game, The Longest Journey, wherein Marcuria was a city on the parallel world called Arcadia._

_In case you were wondering, Andrew's paternal grandparents died in the same accident as his father, and his mother died of illness. His maternal grandfather (his mother's parents were a little older when she was born) died of illness around 6 years ago, and his maternal grandmother lost the will to live (her husband and only child having already passed, and Andrew was very distant after his parents died) and died a couple years after that. Also, in case you've been wondering the whole time, Andrew is about a year older than Nanoha, so he's 24 during the story._


	17. Chapter 17

_Author's Note: Here it is, the last chapter. In a lot of ways, the last couple chapters were a struggle against my more cynical impulses and the lighter nature of the Nanoha universe. It took me quite a while to get this chapter to this point, and I'm still not completely satisfied (to be honest I only planned out the plot up until the point where they leave for Arcadia. Everything since then I came up with on the fly). Some day, I'm sure, I'll look back on this and realize fully my own immaturity as an author (I think it must be a cornerstone of humanity to look back and realize how stupid you were in the past), but for now, I think I'm happy enough with getting this to a reasonable conclusion, especially since this is my longest work ever, and I have a problem with actually ending the things I start to write. In any case, it's been quite a ride getting here, and I'd like to thank everyone for reading, especially the people who left critiques; every bit of input is valuable. Thank you!_

Fulham Airbase, Mid-Childa…

Hayate Yagami stood amidst the rubble which still wasn't completely clear from the tarmac at Fulham Airbase. Flanking her in the pre-dawn darkness were Carim Gracia, Admiral Chrono Harlaown, and several members of the general staff, along with a score of military police.

Above them, there was a dim light, which grew brighter and closer with each passing second. Finally, it resolved into a large boxy shape; the Arcadian transport which hopefully carried Nanoha and the others, along with their Arcadian prisoners. As the wind whipped about her, kicked up from the transport's landing, she held her breath. If this had failed, she didn't know what they'd do.

As the ramp lowered, the first two out were Tea and Subaru, who were apparently arguing. "All I'm saying is, at least you got to be there! I missed the whole thing!" Tea was complaining grumpily. "It was a pretty important moment, you know!"

"Ah, but… I'm not sure what was going on half the time," Subaru admitted. "Andrew-san made a lot of speeches, and Nanoha-san made a few, and so did those old Senators, and then Fate-san arrested a bunch of people!"

Hayate's spirits rose as Subaru's last statement. Had they done it? Surely enough, behind the two ground mages trailed a group of middle-aged men and women in binds, escorted by Fate and Signum. Fate turned to Chrono and Hayate.

"Admiral Harlaown, Colonel Yagami, these men have been arrested for the crimes of inciting dimensional war and crimes against humanity for their ordering of attacks on civilians here on Mid-Childa. We have also been authorized to hold General Lagan and General Goren on similar charges, for trial before the TSA Council," she finished.

Chrono nodded. "Alright. MPs, take these men into custody." He looked over at Hayate, smiling. "It looks like they pulled it off, eh?"

Fate blushed a bit, as Nanoha and Andrew came down the ramp last, chatting with each other. "Really," she remarked, "it's all thanks to those two."

"We could have had a much smoother landing," Nanoha was saying, "but no, you had to flare the nose at the last minute and try to look cool."

"Fate's the one who wanted me to," Andrew protested.

The blonde woman spun on him. "That is not true! Or, well… Subaru said it'd be nice to have a dramatic landing! I was just passing that along!"

Sighing, Hayate stepped forward, clapping her hands. "OK, you three…" They desisted, having the good graces to look a little sheepish. Hayate shook her head, heaving another sigh while the generals behind her suppressed chuckles. "Really… What are we going to do?"

Carim stepped forward next to Hayate. "Commander… I take it things went well?"

Andrew shrugged. "Well, as well as could be expected I suppose. As it turns out, Senator Harrelson and the Defense Committee had been making decisions without the knowledge of the rest of the Senate, and keeping information about the war effort from them. As such, with a little cajoling…"

"A little cajoling?" Nanoha scoffed. "I've never seen someone make speeches like that. I was terrified talking in front of all those people."

Andrew gave her a mock glare and continued. "Well, we managed to convince them that for the safety and continued existence of Arcadia, the Senators responsible should be placed under arrest. Due to a lot of archaic law on the books, they were immediately tried and convicted before the Senate and handed over to me, whereupon I gave custody of them to Fate."

Chrono blinked. "And this is all by the books, then?"

Fate nodded. "It seems that way. I don't quite understand the specifics, but it seems like because of Andrew's ancestors, he has special authority pertaining to crimes against Arcadia."

Chrono glanced at Andrew, raising a puzzled eyebrow. "Don't ask," Andrew told him.

"Oh, there's one more thing," Nanoha put in, "Andrew-kun was authorized by the Senate to negotiate surrender with the Council."

Carim glanced at Andrew curiously. "So you're willing to surrender, then?"

"If that's what it takes," Andrew replied. "I won't hold out hope. We've been utterly defeated. I'll lobby them for independence, of course; that's the dream of all Arcadians, but it isn't a realistic goal. Still, I have to at least make them aware of our position."

Carim nodded slowly. "Well, at the very least, it seems you'll be quite busy for however much longer you're with us." She stepped forward again, giving Andrew a gracious nod. "I just wanted to thank you one more time, Commander, for everything you've done. I know you've sacrificed much to get us this far, and promise that I'll help your cause in any way I can."

"I appreciate that, Knight Carim," Andrew told her sincerely.

"Ah, please," she replied, smiling. "It's just Carim."

Andrew blinked. The events of the past couple weeks were starting to really blow their way by him. "Oh, alright." He blew out a breath. "Well… Why don't we get out of here and back someplace warm?"

Chuckling, the rest of them nodded, walking off out of the cool, early morning air.

TSA Council Building, Cranagan…

Nanoha Takamachi paced nervously outside the large doors leading into chambers. She had given her testimony the previous day, and so was reduced to hanging around, waiting for discussions inside to end before she could hear what was happening. Sitting beside her, Hayate sighed.

"Would you quit that, Nanoha-chan? You're making me tense, too!" she complained.

"Sorry," Nanoha apologized. "I just wish there was more I could do."

It had been four days since the strike team had returned to Mid-Childa. In that time, the Council had accepted the Arcadian prisoners, and a cease-fire had been enacted while the two sides negotiated. Turning over those responsible for the attacks on civilians had been a major plus for the Arcadians once Andrew, Nanoha, Fate, Hayate, and the General Staff had explained what happened, and it certainly seemed like they'd be able to get favorable terms. How favorable was the real question

"I know," Hayate told Nanoha. "But believe me; your testimony did a lot of good in there, and the stuff you told them is helping Carim a lot, too. She's throwing a lot of weight around in there." As the head of the Belkan Saint Church Knights, Carim had a formal seat on the Council itself, along with two other Saint Church representatives who had similarly high positions within the Saint Church hierarchy.

Nanoha pursed her lips. "I hope this doesn't cause trouble for Carim-san."

"Carim can take care of herself." The two women turned, seeing a tall, lean man walking down the hallway.

"Verossa!" cried Hayate, surprised to see the Inspector. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was in charge of questioning the Arcadian soldiers we have in custody," he told her. "A lot of them gave me very interesting stories." His eyes hardened a bit. "That world… Those people are so very desperate now. Even so, they still felt uneasy about going to the lengths Harrelson and the others did, though I suspect some of the Senators and officers were simply using Harrelson and the others as scapegoats. Still, I think the testimonies taken will help them quite a bit."

Hayate nodded thoughtfully. "We'll see…"

The doors opened up at that moment, and various people began spilling out. Hayate recognized quite a few of them. Finally, Carim strode out, followed by Andrew.

"Well? How'd it go in there, Carim?" asked Verossa, standing idly in the corridor.

Carim's eyes flickered as she spotted him. "Oh, Verossa. I didn't know you were going to be here, too." She sighed heavily. "Things are going fairly well. Once people realized just how desperate the Arcadians were, but even so it had only been a handful ordering such atrocities, well… Opening up old wounds is painful, but at least it's forced them to re-examine the situation, and I think a lot of Councilors are coming to terms with the responsibility they have in ceasing to cover old shames like this. Backtracking on all the propaganda they've been throwing about will be difficult, but they don't have much choice now that the full story is coming out. We've done all we can, I think. They're going to announce their full decision tomorrow. Well, if all the time doesn't get taken up by the old warhorses still on the Council making pompous speeches that is," she sighed.

"At the very least," Andrew put in, "they've agreed for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to pre-war status, though there will almost certainly be some additional sanctions levied against us, including reparations for damages done; how we'll pay, I don't know, but it's better than the alternative. They have agreed to treat all Arcadian soldiers as prisoners of war, rather than terrorists, to be released back to Arcadia upon formalization of the surrender. Also, it looks like they're considering very strongly at least giving us a bit more leeway in running the planet; some of the Councilors are just tired of dealing with us, it seems, beyond those who are actually willing to take responsibility. If we're lucky, we might even get a plan for phased independence… But that would be the best case, and would take probably 20 years or more to actualize." Getting those words out, he slumped against the wall, staring out the window soberly. "A free Arcadia," he murmured. "It may actually happen in my lifetime…"

Nanoha stepped over, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I hope it does… Your planet, and you both… You've suffered more than enough."

After a moment, Andrew gave another sigh and then smiled down at Nanoha. "Yeah. Thanks, Nanoha." Stepping away from the wall he remarked, "I guess we'll just have to see what tomorrow brings…"

The sun was shining brightly as Nanoha and Fate bade Vivio a farewell and headed out, the two women to the Council building, Vivio to school. Though there was still today's announcement, along with picking up the pieces in the aftermath to worry about, it seemed like things were finally returning to normal—Andrew had even finished her treatments on their way back from Arcadia, so she was feeling better than ever; according to Shamal, she'd have her full magic capacity back within a couple months. Nanoha looked forward to going back to that quiet life with Vivio, though, she reflected, with a new person in her circle of friends, life wouldn't exactly be the same.

It struck Nanoha as interesting that all of the men she was close to seemed to quickly roll into her life, be around for a short but intense stint, and then vanish back into their busy careers. She wondered if that was a reflection on them or her. She didn't see Yuuno so much as she'd like, but they were both so busy with their careers all the time. Chrono, likewise. And now Andrew… no matter what, he'd be leaving for Arcadia again, just when they were really starting to get used to each other. She was curious about a thousand things; he had this tremendous history behind him, and his family, and his world, and she wanted to know about it, about what had made him into the person he was. She knew it was somewhat selfish of her; she couldn't very well ask him to hang around just so she could interrogate him, just so she could put her own mind at ease. That man wouldn't stop working for his people until they put him in his grave. But even if he managed to achieve his dream… He was still so very alone, with just Nanoha and the people he'd grown close to these last few weeks.

She knew he'd insist on it… Even if he had friends here, even if she asked him, he'd have to go… And she knew, she could never ask that of him. For everything he'd sacrificed for his people, she'd never ask him to make all that work a sacrifice to, for the sole sake of making himself happy. Even if she thought he took too much on himself, it was part of what made Andrew Darkstar who he was; a man who couldn't turn away from someone who was suffering.

Nanoha didn't notice Fate glancing at her from time to time as the blonde woman drove them to the Council building. Quietly, Fate shook her head. Her friend worried entirely too much. Just as it had been for her, all those years ago, even if they were separated, the feelings that connected their hearts would never slack, and Andrew would be there if she called, just like Fate was. That was the real power of Nanoha Takamachi.

"Nanoha?" The auburn haired woman was startled from her reverie by Fate. "We're here."

It was a long trek from the parking garage to the exterior doors, even with elevators. Hayate was already there when they arrived, Rein, Signum, Vita, Shamal, Zafira and Agito all flanking her. Nanoha wondered how early she must have gotten up to get here, seeing as she lived further from here than Nanoha did.

"Good morning Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan," the brown haired woman greeted them. "It looks like they're already inside deliberating, but they'll make their announcement soon."

"I hope things go well for Andrew-kun," said Nanoha, as Fate gave an affirmative nod as well.

"Things do look promising," Hayate agreed. "I wonder just how much, though…"

"We'll soon find out," commented Chrono, as he and Verossa Acous came down the hallway. "The announcement will be public, so you'll be able to go in and hear it, too."

"I wonder if it'll be worse or better to hear it straight away?" mused Fate quietly. "Still, it'll be nice to be able to stand with Andrew when he hears their decision, right?"

Nanoha nodded. "Yeah. So, no matter what happens, he won't have to be alone."

Over an hour passed interminably as they waited while the Council deliberated inside. It was almost maddening, to be on the cusp and not know what would happen, but know that whatever did would decide the fate of an entire world. Nanoha sat idly with Fate, their fingers intertwined absently as they both prayed for good news. Finally, the doors opened and an usher stepped out.

"The Council is about to announce their decision," she told them. "Please come in if you wish."

Standing, the group surged forth into the large room which, while perhaps not as ornate and grand as the Senate Chamber on Arcadia, still held a palpable feeling of importance. Matters deciding the course of tens of billions of lives were decided here. And this would be where Andrew Darkstar's fate, and that of Arcadia, would be decided as well.

Nanoha stepped next to him as the Council readied their decision. A quick glance about the gallery told her that an incredible number of high level officials were also present, including the Three Admirals who had unified Dimensional Space… and had also been partly responsible for the attack on Arcadia.

Next to Nanoha, Andrew closed his eyes, gripping his left forearm tightly, right where the symbol of the Darkstar family was engraved onto him. She wondered what he was seeing in his mind just then. Was it the sun shining down on a free Arcadia? Reaching out, she gently laid her hand over his. As his eyes snapped open and stared at her, she smiled brightly.

"Don't be afraid," she told him quietly. "No matter what happens, you've moved your people forward. You should be proud."

Andrew didn't say anything else, but this time, when he closed his eyes, his face was at peace, and he was smiling. An instant later, the resolution and easy determination were back, as he waited to hear what the Council had to say.

The chair cleared their throat, glancing at the statement before them a few times. "Not often does such a difficult subject come before us. Accustomed as we have become to deciding the course of many worlds, we sometimes forget that these worlds are made up of people, with feelings and dreams all their own. And what can we do, when the dream of those people are one, and when the desire to achieve that dream becomes so fierce that it turns to desperation, and causes them to choose that most terrible of options: war." He paused before continuing on. "Inasmuch as we cannot condone the course of action that the planet Arcadia has taken, we recognize fully that a terrible crime was committed against her people and that we, as successors to those who made and allowed the horrific decision to bomb that world, and who voted afterwards to declare Arcadia a continued threat to peace, have a certain responsibility to try and right these injustices. It is a responsibility that this Council has allowed itself to forgo for far too long, and as a result, more terrible events have taken place, as a result of our continued mistakes."

Taking a deep breath, the man fixed Andrew with his gaze. "Despite our eventual triumph and capture of those responsible for ordering the vicious attacks on our civilian population, we must also recognize that these victories would not have been possible without the courage—nay, heroism, displayed by a man who we believed was our strongest enemy, Commander Andrew Darkstar. His actions were in keeping with the highest degrees of honor, sacrificing so much to alleviate the suffering of people caught in the middle of this destructive conflict, even those people of this world, to whom he owed nothing. And although he opposed our forces as an enemy combatant, it is due to him that justice may be meted out on the truly guilty parties, and that this war has come to a close."

"Therefore, it is the decision of this Council that, in recognition of Commander Darkstar's heroics, in remembrance of the tragedy committed against Arcadia, and in honor of the dreams of an entire world, the planet Arcadia, currently Administrated World #31, shall, under the terms of surrender, with due restrictions and sanctions, henceforth be a free and independent state."

A momentous silence swept the room. It seemed as if no one even dared to breathe. It was only after a few intense seconds, that the sounds of one man weeping and collapsing to his knees broke the quiet.

Nanoha dropped to one knee alongside Andrew Darkstar as his shoulders were wracked with sobs of the purest joy. When he spoke, though it was only the softest of whispers, she didn't doubt that anyone in the room could hear him.

"Mother… Father… are you watching? My dream, your dream, our people's dream… I can finally see it…"

Slowly, Carim Gracia and her colleagues from the Saint Church rose, applauding, a beaming smile lighting her face. In ones and twos, other members of the audience, even members of the Council, joined in.

Nanoha wrapped Andrew in a joyful embrace, feeling tears in her own eyes now. "Andrew… You've done it… Your people are free."

"I… can't believe it," he stammered, voice choked, returning her hug wholeheartedly. "I don't know what to say…"

She shook her head slowly. "You don't have to say a thing."

As the two slowly separated and stood, grinning wildly at each other, Hayate and Fate leapt in, giving Andrew congratulatory hugs of their own. As the Wolkenritter along with Chrono and Verossa stepped in to offer their own congratulations, Nanoha watched, amused at the bewildered expression on Andrew's face. As the cheers continued, more people crowded about to offer their best wishes to the man who became a hero to two worlds.

Nanoha, Fate and Hayate and the rest stood outside later, having only managed to extricate themselves several hours later. Andrew came a while later, still looking astonished at this outcome. Carim walked beside him, her usual retinue of Sister Schach accompanying.

"It's not total independence immediately," Andrew told them briefly, explaining some of the particulars of the deal. "There'll be some sanctions against us since we did attack Mid, including limiting the size and movements of our military. We're also going to have to give regular updates on our activities to the Council for the next several years and give TSAB Enforcers authority to pursue suspects in Arcadian territory. I don't blame them," he remarked offhandedly. "Even though we've got our freedom now, there are still some hardliners who are going to want revenge. Still, it isn't all bad news. They're going to pay reparations for the damage done to our cities, minus the damages we incurred here. I'm sure there will be some both here and on Arcadia who'll howl about the bookkeeping on that one," he commented wryly. To be perfectly honest, he wasn't sure if anyone had actually done a complete tally of the damages done to Arcadia during the bombing, but that was a problem for accountants, not him.

"Still," Carim put in, "the important part is, your people have their freedom."

"Yeah," Andrew agreed, grinning. "I can still scarcely believe it. I'm not sure how I'm going to tell the Senate. It's not something you can just casually bring up, you know."

"I'm sure you'll find a way," remarked Chrono. "Speaking of the Senate, I imagine they'll probably ask you to join them, or take some sort of position, considering you are the hero of the hour… Or century, it would seem."

Andrew chuckled, shaking his head. "I expect they will, but… I'm Commander Darkstar all the way. I think I've had enough of speeches on the Senate floor."

Nanoha grinned. "Well, even if your career was short, at least it was illustrious."

"Well, there is that," Andrew agreed.

Fate tilted her head. "So, what will you do, then, as Commander Darkstar?"

"Well, somebody's got to rebuild our defenses. We're on our own now, after all," he pointed out. "As for what else… I think I've got something lined up," he told them with a grin.

The group chatted for a bit longer before finally starting to break. Nanoha glanced between Fate and Andrew. "Well… Andrew-kun, if you don't mind, how about you join Fate-chan and I for a celebratory dinner? I'll whip up my best meal for you!" she told him, pumping her fist excitedly.

"Me, too," Fate put in. "After all, you need to head back home after today to tell them the good news, right?"

Andrew rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, when you put it that way, I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"

The two women grinned at him. "No, you don't!" they agreed, laughing.

Takamachi Household, Cranagan Outskirts…

Nanoha and Fate set themselves into a frenzy in the kitchen. Every now and then, one would check and make sure Andrew was sitting quietly in the living room, to make sure he didn't try and poke his nose in to help them again.

"I just feel bad about you both doing this without helping," he had said.

"Uh-uh, this is your celebration, so you just sit over there!" Nanoha had said, pushing him out of the room.

"But…"

"No buts!"

The sun was just starting to dim outside as it headed for the horizon when the door swung open and Vivio Takamachi clomped in.

"Mama, I'm home!" she called.

The two women poked their heads out, smiling broadly. "Welcome home, Vivio," they said in unison.

"Ah, Fate-mama is still here!" exclaimed Vivio with surprise. It was at that moment that she spotted Andrew looking over the back of the couch at her, and she nearly stumbled in surprise. "Ah! It's the sometimes-but-not-always scary guy!"

As Nanoha laughed weakly, Fate stepped over to Vivio and said. "Now, Vivio, that isn't a nice way to talk about someone." She gestured Andrew over, who slowly crossed the room and crouched down in front of Vivio, smiling slightly.

"Hey, Vivio… I guess you don't remember my name. I'm Andrew Darkstar," he reminded her.

Vivio tapped her chin. "Ah, that's right, it was Mr. Darkstar."

Andrew laughed weakly. "Uh, just Andrew is ok, kiddo."

Vivio nodded. "Alright, Mr. Andrew."

As Nanoha continued to chuckle at his expense, Fate just smiled crookedly. "Well, I guess that'll do," Andrew remarked, standing and giving Vivio a pat on the head. "I'm glad to see you're doing alright, Vivio."

Nanoha finally crossed over and knelt down in front of her daughter. "Vivio, Andrew-kun is going to join us for dinner today, because today was a very special day for him."

Vivio glanced at him. "Was it his birthday?"

Andrew laughed. "Not mine, no… But I guess you could say it was my planet's birthday, in a way."

Vivio scratched her head. "You mean like Founding Day?" she asked, referring to the holiday that celebrated the establishment of the TSAB.

Fate nodded. "Yes, it's like that. So, you should congratulate him, Vivio."

"OK." She turned to Andrew, giving a little bow. "Congratutaions, Mr. Andrew."

He smiled down at her. "Thanks, Vivio."

Patting her daughter on the head, Nanoha maneuvered Vivio towards the kitchen. "So, we're going to do our best and cook a celebratory dinner with maximum power!"

The small girl cheered as she followed her guardians into the kitchen. Andrew was left to shake his head and wonder if they'd assign the girl to guard duty. As he made his way back into the living room, his communicator suddenly beeped. Puzzled, and wondering who could be calling, he opened the holographic screen.

It was General Goren. "Commander," he greeted his former protégé. "I heard about what happened with the Council. I can scarcely believe it." He shook his head. "You really did it, Commander. I don't know how, but, you freed our people."

Andrew stared at the older man's face, wishing he could be celebrating too. But they had all made their choices, and he suspected Goren understood that, too. "I guess some people in the Council genuinely felt the way their release stated… But a lot just wanted us out of their hair. It doesn't matter, really. Either way, we got what we wanted. Even if we had to agree to a lot of restrictions for a while, we're charting our own course now."

Goren nodded. "I also just wanted to say, Commander… That woman, Captain Takamachi, she was right. It wasn't anything that we did that saved our people. It was you and her. I guess was too old and cynical to believe it could happen like that. But I guess your stubborn idealism won in the end." He smiled, and Andrew thought there might have been tears in the older man's eyes. "I'm really proud of you, Commander. Thank you."

Andrew nodded at the man who had trained him to become what he was. Even if they had opposed each other in the end, Andrew could never forget that. "Thank you, General Goren."

Goren smiled at him one last time. "Good-bye, Andrew." With that final parting, the screen went dead.

Andrew breathed slowly, glancing back at the kitchen where Nanoha and the others were working away happily. Then he smiled and looked back out the window as oranges and reds began to glow like a watercolor. Somehow, he thought, glancing back at the blue eyed, auburn haired woman who had done so much for him and his people, everything seemed more beautiful today.

As the four of them sat down for the meal, chatting amiably, while Vivio filled in Nanoha and Fate about the day's events at her school, Andrew reflected quietly that he couldn't recall the last time he'd sat down at a table with others like this. Not since his mother had died had he felt that close to anyone. But, inexorably, the woman called Nanoha Takamachi had pulled him into her circle, her strong heart and compassionate soul seeing him for what he was, not what he needed to be. And as the feelings they had shared had connected him to her, hers had connected him to Fate, and Hayate, and everyone else. _The White Devil, huh… I guess, she doesn't seem that way to me_.

The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon when they finally broke a couple hours later. "Are you sure you can't stay longer?" asked Fate, as they finished clearing the table, which Andrew had managed to finally force his way into doing as well.

"I'd like to, but I do have to get back and report to Arcadia. I don't want to leave the old men hanging too long. They deserve to know as soon as possible… well, if someone hasn't leaked it to them already," he added dryly.

Nanoha sighed heavily, even though she had expected this. "Well, alright. Vivio," she said, turning to the girl, "we're going to see Andrew-kun out, so could you start cleaning up in here?"

Vivio nodded, rolling up her sleeves. "OK. Bye-bye, Mr. Andrew."

He waved back to her as he, Nanoha, and Fate headed out the door. "Bye, kiddo."

The three stepped outside into the dim orange light from the sun of Mid-Childa. The air was still warm, though; summer was fast approaching now. Andrew turned to the two women, eyes shining with more than he could possibly say. "I really… I can't thank you both enough," he told them. "I don't think I can ever repay you for what you've done for my world."

Smiling, Nanoha shook her head and clucked her tongue. "Andrew-kun, how many times do I have to say it? We agreed; you'd help save this world, and so I'd help you save yours. So, there isn't a debt to pay, right Fate-chan?"

Fate nodded, smiling in her quiet manner. "I think it's enough that we've all come to an understanding with each other, that everybody was somehow saved."

Andrew shook his head, bemused smile on his face. "Really, Nanoha… You're very strict, aren't you?" he echoed.

Grinning broadly, Nanoha nodded. Becoming more serious, she asked, "Still though, now you're heading back to Arcadia, and things are going to be really busy there. I mean… will we ever see you again?" Her busy life, her friends' busy lives, they seemed to intersect less and less now. Even if it was only a little bit, she wanted to hold onto the people she cherished now. When they had promised to stand by each other, she didn't think they'd be parting this soon.

Andrew smiled softly as he stared into her clear blue eyes. "I think that… Even if we're apart for a long time, the feelings in our hearts won't weaken their grips. Even if it's a month, or a year, if you need me, I'll be there to stand by you, Nanoha." Fate grinned as Andrew gave voice to Fate's own thoughts that very morning, which almost seemed like a different world now. Suddenly, Andrew laughed, and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Then again, the Council did say they needed a liaison to give them frequent reports… And I can't think of anyone better than the Field Commander of the Arcadian Combined Forces, and scion of the Darkstar line." He grinned at her as her eyes widened in surprise. "So, it's a promise, Nanoha, that I'll definitely see you again."

Smiling gratefully, Nanoha stepped across and pulled the man into a tight embrace before stepping away. "Absolutely… It's a promise."

Andrew gave Fate a friendly nod as he stepped back, which she returned gratefully, stepping next to Nanoha. Reflexively, the two women grasped hands as they watched a shimmering light surround Andrew as he deployed his barrier jacket and slowly drifted up into the sky.

"Nanoha," he called down. "I just want to say, that it was thanks to you. Your feelings, your compassion gave me the strength to save my people… And it was _your_ honest heart that saved me when I was alone. So, even until the end of time, I'll never forget you, and I'll always be grateful." With one last wave and a smile, the man in black, Andrew Darkstar, flew off towards the setting sun.

As Nanoha watched him go, the joyful yet sad feelings in her heart swelling, she whispered, and was sure even so that he heard her, "I wonder… what the sunrise looks like on a free Arcadia…"

**Fin**

_Author's Note: And that's all, folks. I know it seems a little (well, more than a little) contrived of me to go for the all out happy ending, with Arcadia freed, but you know what, this is Nanoha. Everyone, except really bad people, get happy endings. Also, Vivio makes another appearance. I've started to realize, the reason she doesn't appear often is I have a hard time writing the difference between a really little kid and a not quite so little kid. I've been worried that Vivio comes off as still being 6 or so, instead of 9 or 10 as she's supposed to be at this point. I guess it's up to you, the readers, to be the judge of that._

_Oh, on another note, in case you thought Andrew wasn't being punished at all, he's actually under what I guess you'd term house arrest since he is not allowed to leave Arcadia, except to come to Mid. When he is on Mid, he has his powers limited, and has to have an escort when he leaves TSAB HQ. It's basically part of the deal to make sure Acradia's military is purely defensive in nature; if their strongest weapon and commander can't go anywhere, it's hard for them to do anything. If it seems a little strange that the full terms of the surrender was an 'announcement,' it's because while they did negotiate on and agree to certain terms, technically speaking it was still an unconditional surrender by Arcadian forces, so beyond the scope of what they'd already agreed to, the Council could have done practically anything. Is it a little strange that they'd just up and free the planet? Sure, but like I said, I wanted the happy ending, and like Andrew explained, a lot of people just didn't want to be bothered with it anymore, plus with what Andrew did, and Carim's lobbying, they got more sympathy than they might have before._

_Some readers may wonder if I was working a Nanoha/Andrew romance angle. Others may recall I noted way back in Chapter 2 or 3 that there'd be some implied attraction, but no romance. Nanoha is kind of interested in Andrew, and Andrew pretty clearly is attracted to her, but you also have to recall they've been under a lot of pressure, and their circumstances are magnifying things in their minds. Also, with both of them having work that they're dedicated to, and Nanoha having Vivio to take care of, along with Andrew totally not being ready for that kind of relationship (let's be honest, he really isn't), unless there's a major change in their lives, it wouldn't work out (which Nanoha herself makes note of in her thoughts). Their friendship will remain solid, but even with Andrew making trips to Mid, they'll hardly ever see each other—not good building blocks for a relationship, so anything of that nature between them is dead on arrival, which I think both of them are mature enough to understand, which is why nothing is said about it._

_And on one last note, I'd like to thank everyone who stuck with me until the end, and especially those who gave critical input, good or bad; all of it was helpful in some way, so thank you and I appreciate it. _


End file.
